Per Adam Schefter: Arizona trades Tim Hightower to Skins for Vonnie Holliday and pick

[Conn]

Even if Holliday wasn't going to be released, he's 35-36. He's not going to be around when we're competing anyways. Hightower might.

And if the difference between a 6th and 7th round pick is the deciding factor in whether a trade was "won" or "lost", then you're just ****ing to hear yourself *****. That's a very small difference in value.

[mojo]

I'm sorry but this move is just puzzling to me.

Maybe I'm wrong but wouldn't Cofield and Jarvis Jenkins push Holiday out the door anyway?

[Conn]

I'm sorry but this move is just puzzling to me.

Maybe reading through the thread will show you why many others do actually like the move? Idk, but I don't see what's puzzling about it. Even though I didn't hate the Jarmon-Gaffney trade, I can at least see why it puzzled some. Not this trade though.

[Sikbug]

Awesome, just noticed this, I'm a big fan, hope he can excel here!

[addicted]

Maybe reading through the thread will show you why many others do actually like the move? Idk, but I don't see what's puzzling about it. Even though I didn't hate the Jarmon-Gaffney trade, I can at least see why it puzzled some. Not this trade though.

Really?

That trade I am complete favor of as it makes sense on many levels.

You will come to really like Gaffney

This one I'm not sure of yet

We just downgraded our Defensive line for a used best blocking goal line RB and surrendered a draft pick.

Was it worth it?

Hightower was big in 2008 when the Cardinals went to the Superbowl so people know of him

But that year when they went against the best competition he never gained more then 40 yards a game

And the following season they drafted Beanie Wells in the 1st round

I know its the Cardinals but really why if Hightower was so good did they do that?

Or this year why did they draft VT's RB Ryan Williams in round 2?

The clear answer is they didn't feel like they were set at that position when they had Hightower

so I can't feel set at this now either

Said it before voicing my opinion about us needing another running back

I still would rather have weakened the Giants and we'd still have our draft pick and a stronger Defensive line

Don't like trading draft picks for players when all you need is cash

To me this looks like they are getting the better end of this deal for a guy they were going to let go of next season anyway.

But if he balls out, improves his bad yards per reception stat and learns to hang onto the football

We may end up with the better end of this deal

He is a free agent next year so a lot depends on how he's used this season as it depends on if he sticks around or not

[OuterBanksTarHeel]

One thing about this group of RB's--they all run HARD.

Last year, we went into the season with a guy who likes to tackle himself, and another who likes to run backwards.

[hfmonk]

One nice thing about Hightower is that when he isnt running, he can block pretty well.

I like the trade of and old DL with a year or 2 left for a young RB with 5-7 years left

Besides.....Think about it this way.....Vinnie would have made this trade but included $5 million, a 2nd round pick and a 5th....along with the 6th or 7th, they will get.

Be thankful our FO actually works well now!

[addicted]

For those so inclined to look at Hightowers supposed ability to block

http://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2011/6/17/2228535/tim-hightower-superior-pass-blocker-think-again

http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2011/06/17/2010-pass-blocking-efficiency-running-backs/

Hightower was one of the top 15 backs in pass blocking snaps with 119 on the season. However, he was in the bottom 15 in effectiveness, the 11th worst among his peers with a 6.3 percent pressure rate (nine total pressures -- sacks, QB hits, pressures).

Nice to see that Portis was the best damn blocking RB in the league the last three years.

Always thought that he was but confirmed

Not trying to be a downer on this deal

I understand we needed another RB but this move really puzzles me

Any news on Vonnie retiring?

[frankez99]

Absolutely brilliant move from our FO.

With Hightower and Cofield, the locker room paradigm just took a massive turn for the positive. These guys are high-character, motivated, team players. Plus they're pretty good too.

It should be an efficient, controversy-free training camp; which is a nice change and exactly what a young(er) roster needs.

Count me in the "happy with this move and off-season" camp.

[Conn]

And yet with 30 less blocking snaps, Key Williams was a little bit worse. And Hightower adds more running talent/ability than Key does.

[DCchillin89]

Love this move. We get rid of a surplus guy in Holliday, who became replaceable once we invested in bowen/coefield and since we have already have late round picks with the subtraction of hayneworth and mcnabb (I can't believe that's all we got), I don't mind losing the pick.

While shanahan has his faults, I still trust shanny's instincts in rbs, With Hightower, we get a local guy who hasn't really gotten consistent carries since he's been in the league. I feel much better with Torain/Hightower/Helu, especially with Keiland taking snaps at fullback.

[Mr. Sinister]

I'll only be upset about the deal if we end up cutting Hightower during midseason or some crazy **** like that. Holliday played pretty solid last year, but I think there are plenty of guys on the D-line that can fill in adequately. I like the move, although I'm not sure what this means for a lot of the talented but raw/unproven guys that we already had i the backfield.

[DCchillin89]

I like the move, although I'm not sure what this means for a lot of the talented but raw/unproven guys that we already had i the backfield.

practice squad

[ddub52]

hightower is such a bum. this means royster is a s good as gone and i believe royster will be much better than hightower

And this is based on what?

[MdMack21]

This is a solid pickup.. Still hoping that Helu becomes a star

[2STaylor1]

i guess they were thinking we needed some veteran leadership to the RB position.... would prefer if we didnt give up a pick tho

[redskins55]

Hightower and Torrain in the back field will be scary... Its like having the hammer and the anvil in the back field with one another! Wonder why Arizona would ship him though.. The draft pick had to be a mid rounder or sumthings wrong with him. He's to good to trade for Vonny Holiday

[Dallsux]

Just watched some of his highlights on youtube. I like what I see in the kid. I hope this works out with him. He's got some wheels on him for sure.

[Commander Adama]

I do not understand why people are upset over this trade. I am not sure Holliday would have been cut or not but he is a backup, as well as 35 years old. Hightower could possibly be used as a 3rd down back and be used quite a lot. The conditional late round pick is just that, conditional. It is probably related to Hightower's playing time, and being that we are not necessarily going to even be giving the Cardinals a pick at all. Add in the fact that Hightower is 25 years old. I like this trade. Is it a huge blockbuster? No, but you do not need blockbuster deals to build a solid team. It sounds like not only are they trying to build for right now, but for the future as well.

Also, depending on the wording of the trade, this trade is a done-deal regardless of Vonnie Holliday retiring or not. Again, I like it.

[HateNMyEyez]

no one is scared of hightower. he puts the ball on the ground entirely too much. he fumbled 5 times last yr and 5 times the yr before that which is horrid. he was brought here to pass block on 3rd downs. torrain and helu should still see majority of carries

[Dirt]

while everything seems to be rushed in this shortened offseason, I try to simplify these moves - keiland williams may be bumped for a guy who's a better 3rd down back. It's all about competition. Hell, Sellers is training at TE. and even if it doesn't pan out, we got a draft pick. Vonnie Holiday was going anyway. That makes 3 guys so far I can think of that were 'going anyway' yet we got picks out of them. This kind of thing hasn't happened in the last decade. I love it.

[TheShredder]

while everything seems to be rushed in this shortened offseason, I try to simplify these moves - keiland williams may be bumped for a guy who's a better 3rd down back. It's all about competition. Hell, Sellers is training at TE. and even if it doesn't pan out, we got a draft pick. Vonnie Holiday was going anyway. That makes 3 guys so far I can think of that were 'going anyway' yet we got picks out of them. This kind of thing hasn't happened in the last decade. I love it.

I thought we gave up a draft pick...

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d81467768/WK-11-Tim-Hightower-highlights

AwLKbvvLH_A

I visited the Cardinals forums and read a bit about 'THT'...Cardinals fans are about like Skins fans in that they are a mixed batch and have their rightful grievances with the way things have been handled in their organization. For the most part you can see that they are concerned about not understanding who Vonnie Holliday is today vs. what he was in the past and why the Skins traded him. Without overstating the obvious they were pretty much confused at why the would trade for a 35 yr old DE. That's their issue and the revelation that I was seeking about how the Cardinals fans viewed Hightower didn't reveal something that would raise an eyebrow. I guess that's good news for us and appears that the trade was a good one for both sides. I also reviewed THT highlights for the last number of years. He has some talent! He also fumbles...He has been reviewed to be a 'good pass blocker' which isn't exactly inaccurate but probably not a tag that he has really earned. Let's just say he is capable from a stats point of view. One thing that is apparent with watching some of his runs is that he can make a nice cut and get up to speed. In on highlight he got to the second level and had a nice burst of speed where he began to pull away from the safeties and DB's. So, he can hit a home run. At 25 yrs old, the trade looks to have consistency with the philosophy being implemented this year. There's quiet a bit of upside to adding THT to the RB's. K.Williams is being practiced at a FB spot and it appears the Sellers is the one on the bubble. I can see that Torrain, THT, and Helu are in the mix at RB. Helu could easily be placed on the practice squad and we start the season with Torrain and THT in the backfield. It's a nice trade. I like the upside. Maybe it's THT's time to take it to the next level in the ZBS.

HTTR!!! :point2sky:point2sky

[postong]

while everything seems to be rushed in this shortened offseason, I try to simplify these moves - keiland williams may be bumped for a guy who's a better 3rd down back. It's all about competition. Hell, Sellers is training at TE. and even if it doesn't pan out, we got a draft pick. Vonnie Holiday was going anyway. That makes 3 guys so far I can think of that were 'going anyway' yet we got picks out of them. This kind of thing hasn't happened in the last decade. I love it.

We didn't receive a pick...we gave a pick to Arizona.

If we had gotten a pick AND Hightower for Vonnie Holliday, damn Bruce would be a genius

[MartinC]

I read he is a guy who is a one cut runner with some (but not great) speed so he fits the zone stretch Shanny likes to run. I also read he is a good at picking up the blitz and has good hands. He sounds like a guy brought in to compete for the 3rd down back job and be depth as the 3rd active back. Can he plays teams?

[S.T.real,lights,out]

Love it. Trade a guy who was prob going to be cut.