BaltimorePatsFan
Rotational Player and Threatening Starter's Job
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.The point clearly went right over your head.
There is only so much you can physically expect from someone given their adult body. Hightower is not suddenly going to morph into a Randy Moss or even Mike Vrabel, let alone a Patrick Willis.
the cap is not going to spike as many thought it would in the 2015 season so restructuring to backload deals is not a great option right now. Teams that have the past couple seasons are going to be in cap hell in two years....Jets level cap hellBrady will restructure, Wilfork likely will too. Mayo could be extended again and redistribute that cap hit. Mankins is a tough hit but none of this should prevent keeping Spikes.
To improve the pass defense, they need to replace Spikes.
I could see both sticking around for a while. With McCourty, the Pats have a legitimate cover-1 FS, which opens up the SS to do things like helping on TEs, or just covering them himself.
And for all the complaints about the LBs, the CB group was responsible for twice as many passing yards as the LB group this past season, and there being more CBs than LBs in subpackages isn't nearly enough to explain that difference.
No, it didn't. You claimed that clearly Spikes and Hightower are what they are, LIABILITIES in coverage. I am saying let's see what Hightower can do with a few seasons of experience under his belt before we say what he'll never be able to do. You seem to think that a rookie is what he is after year one and we should plan on that forever. I vehemently disagree.
And like I said, no one is asking for him to become Patrick Willis. He just needs to be adequate, which I believe he CAN (not will, CAN) do, even at his size. I don't see why that's so hard to believe.
You still aren't getting it.
Hightower is essentially a tweener DE. He is never going to be even mediocre in coverage. He will always be a matchup issue we have to account for and protect. Maybe not as much as Spikes who is a massive liability in coverage, but Hightower will always get beaten by any RB with decent speed. This is not going to change.
Again, loved Hightower as a prospect for a 34 ILB. But for our team, our scheme, I really did not understand the pick at all unless they think he can play as a down rusher or 34 OLB. I mean, even if we didn't have Spikes, Hightower is a poor fit in the 43. He's too big and hulking and in the 43 the biggest difference is the LBs need to play in coverage well. Instead we have two guys who are poor in coverage.
You still aren't getting it.
Hightower is essentially a tweener DE. He is never going to be even mediocre in coverage. He will always be a matchup issue we have to account for and protect. Maybe not as much as Spikes who is a massive liability in coverage, but Hightower will always get beaten by any RB with decent speed. This is not going to change.
Again, loved Hightower as a prospect for a 34 ILB. But for our team, our scheme, I really did not understand the pick at all unless they think he can play as a down rusher or 34 OLB. I mean, even if we didn't have Spikes, Hightower is a poor fit in the 43. He's too big and hulking and in the 43 the biggest difference is the LBs need to play in coverage well. Instead we have two guys who are poor in coverage.
i would hate to see spikes go. Causes turnovers when we need them and stops the run like no tomorrow.
The Pats are overloaded at ILB types.
Spikes is only an inside/MLB.
Hightower is better inside, given his size.
Mayo played better as a 3-4 ILB than 4-3 OLB.
They have no coverage linebackers.
They have no rush linebackers.
I cannot see the team re-signing Spikes. Mayo is locked up and beloved for his ethic. Hightower has more upside.
Trading him would be fine. Yes, he delivered some nice turnovers. Yes, this defense is less physical than desired, and he is the most physical player on the defense. However, his overall fit makes the defense too run-defense-heavy and a significant liability against the pass. This is a passing league, and the Patriots cannot defend the pass.
To improve the pass defense, they need to replace Spikes.