Source: Dont’a Hightower 'Figuring Out' Future; Should Cowboys Sign Patriots Super Bowl LB?
For the past 10 seasons, veteran free agent linebacker Dont’a Hightower has been a mainstay for the New England Patriots.
During his Patriots tenure, he was named to two Pro Bowls and won three Super Bowl titles. His place among New England’s defensive greats has long since been cemented.
Still, the 32-year-old remains on the free agent market. And per a source close via SI Fan Nation's Patriots Country, Hightower is “still figuring out what he wants to do” before committing to play in his 11th season in the NFL; either in New England or with another franchise.
With a need for depth at the position, might the Dallas Cowboys show interest in Hightower’s services in the days leading up to the start of training camp?
According to a recent musing from Bleacher Report, the Cowboys may be smart to inquire:
“Defensively, Dallas could use a boost to its run defense. Dallas ranked just 23rd in yards per carry allowed (4.5) on the year and surrendered an average of 130 yards per game over the final 10 weeks of the regular season.
Specifically, the Cowboys could use another run-stopping linebacker or two, as the depth behind Micah Parsons and Leighton Vander Esch is questionable—and Parsons spent a lot of his time last season serving as more of an edge-rusher.”
Following a one-year hiatus in 2020 [via COVID-19 opt-out], Hightower returned to reprise his role as a team leader and solid presence in the middle of New England’s defense. He appeared in 16 of 18 possible games and saw the field for 59.8 percent of the Patriots’ defensive snaps. Despite some struggles throughout the season, Hightower showed that he is still capable of being an effective player, finishing the season with 64 tackles and 1.5 sacks, primarily playing on early downs and defending against the run.
The Cowboys are expected to field a young, but talented front seven in 2022. Despite the departure of defensive end Randy Gregory, Dallas still has plenty of capable defenders in the fold. Their linebackers depth chart is headed by sophomore sensation Micah Parsons. Not only did the Penn State product finish his rookie campaign with his aforementioned 13 sacks, he also logged 84 total tackles and three forced fumbles in 16 games played. As their primary depth option, the Cowboys are expecting second-year linebacker Jabril Cox to play a key role in 2022 on the strong side. Leighton Vander Esch is also back.
Adding Hightower would give the team veteran depth at the position, as well as provide them with a player capable of strengthening their run defense.
Dallas has been rumored to be in the mix to add more edge rushers, but also bolster the middle of the defensive line to apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks and assist in stopping the run. Just prior to the NFL Draft, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones noted that more moves were likely on the way.
“I will say this, free agency’s not over,” Jones said.
Worth noting: Dallas really did make an offer to Von Miller, really did flirt with the idea of adding Bobby Wagner, and really is considering the idea of Anthony Barr. So linebacker help is a consideration.
As the Cowboys prepare to open 2022 training camp on July 26 in Oxnard, California, it will be interesting to see if they make an attempt to add Hightower into their defensive mix - pending in large part what Hightower himself wants to do.
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