The best remaining free agent in the NFL has found his new team, and it’s the same as his old team.
Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower will re-sign with the Patriots, his agent announced on Twitter.
Hightower was generally recognized as the best player still available after the first couple of days of free agency, but it appeared that he wasn’t getting the kinds of offers he had hoped to receive. There’s no word yet on the value of his new contract with the Patriots, but reports indicated he was seeking $12 million a year but not getting offers worth much more than $10 million a year.
But while Hightower might have been disappointed in the market for his services, the Patriots will not be at all disappointed with keeping Hightower. Patriots coach Bill Belichick has praised Hightower many times, including after Super Bowl LI, when Belichick said Hightower’s strip-sack was the play that turned the game around for the Patriots in their dramatic comeback win.
It’s been a strong free agency period for the defending champs, who continue to look like the favorites to win the Super Bowl again in 11 months.