After all the wheeling and dealing, the dust has finally settled and everything is has been finally cleared. In the end, the New England Patriots won the battle and got their man. Free agent linebackerDont'a Hightower is set to return to the New England Patriots. After more than a week of uncertainty, Dont'a Hightower decided to re-sign with the New England patriots.
It wasn't easy for the New England Patriots, as they have to spend a little more than what they initially expected to re-sign Dont'a Hightower. As Larry Brown Sports initially reported, the New England Patriots had to increase their previous offer just get Dont'a Hightower to re-sign with them. The new deal is reportedly worth $43 million for four years with $19 million guaranteed.
Dont'a Hightower initially wanted to test the free agent market. The ploy was for Dont'a Hightower to see his market value and how much other teams would offer him. That would put more pressure for the New England Patriots.
The strategy seemed to backfire as Dont'a Hightower didn't get much interest from other teams as he would have expected. Among the teams that showed interest in signing Dont'a Hightower are the New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the end, Dont'a Hightower ultimately chose to return to the New England Patriots.
Dont'a Hightower was one of the most coveted free agents in the market. Pro Football Focus rated Dont'a Hightower fifth overall among inside linebackers. In the New England Patriots' Super Bowl LI victory against the Atlanta Falcons, Dont'a Hightower played an integral part especially on the defensive end.
With the recent signing of Dont'a Hightower, the New England Patriots further solidified their status as the favorites to win the Super Bowl again next year. ESPN just recently explained the significance of re-signing Dont'a Hightower.
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