Patriots bring back Hightower (while adding reason to mock Jets) and Butler should be next
COMMENTARY
Turns out that the Patriots played Dont’a Hightower’s foray into free agency better than even the most ardent In Bill We Trust believers could have imagined.
Not only did they retain the smart, versatile 28-year-old linebacker at a very reasonable price — $43.5 million, including a $19 million guaranteed, over four years — but they also gained an amusing ancillary prize: A whole new reason to mock the Jets.
Add it to the stack, right there with the Buttfumble and HC of the NYJ for a Day and tampering to steal away a washed-up Darrelle Revis and all the rest. The Jets pursued Hightower, a smart move – more teams should have, even if he isn’t the prototype of the speedy, small linebacker many defenses favor these days. Their pursuit included, per reports, throwing him a de facto birthday party, a jayvee recruiting move even for a middling college program.
Going forward, whenever the Jets and cupcakes are mentioned, it won’t solely be in reference to their status on the Patriots’ schedule. I bet they think they would have closed the deal if only they’d offered a few cannolis too. And maybe a scone or two, but just as a signing bonus. And you thought the Steelers’ approach of no-deal-if-you-leave-the-room was dumb.
But enough about who didn’t get Hightower, for this is not about an opponent’s latest loss, but rather another major victory for the Patriots, and one that comes barely a month after they won their second Super Bowl in three seasons. Retaining him is a great thing for a lot of reasons, including that there is no obvious replacement for him in sight.
But he’s a terrific player, no qualifiers necessary. Hightower shares a lot of characteristics with Tedy Bruschi, most notably the knack for making a huge play at the exact moment the team needs one most. No Patriots fan requires a reminder that Hightower made plays that can be described as game-saving and game-changing in those two most recent Super Bowl victories. He has become the quintessential Patriots linebacker, a man who earns his own rings. Even with the knowledge that linebackers can have short shelf-lives — Hightower’s knees started collecting scars while he was still at Alabama — this is a deal with which both player and team should be thrilled.
A glance at the transactions ledger suggests that the current Patriots roster is stronger than the one that brought the confetti raining down in Houston on February 5. Brandin Cooks, Kony Ealy and Dwayne Allen — all accomplished young players to different degrees — arrived in trades. Stephon Gilmore, Lawrence Guy, and Rex Burkhead came on via free agency. And Hightower heads a group of retained free agents that includes Duron Harmon, Alan Branch, and James Develin.
Several helpful contributors have moved on, most notably cornerback Logan Ryan and Martellus Bennett. Chemistry can be complicated, but in pure talent, this team is better than one that just pulled off the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. I believe this is what is meant by the rich getting richer.
