Report: Patriots To Trade LB Dont’a Hightower To AFC Rival

The New England Patriots are in an awkward position at this point of the offseason, and they may lose their star quarterback. Tom Brady will hit the open market if the Patriots don’t offer him a good deal. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that team owner Robert Kraft considers paying his star quarterback “in excess of $30 million per year.” In addition to this situation, the Patriots also have a few free agents to take care of. Devin McCourty, Joe Thuney, Kyle Van Now and Jamie Collins will enter free agency in March. New England has $29 million in salary cap space so they need to play wise this offseason. What about Dont’a Hightower and his role with the Patriots?

NFL analyst Brent Sobleski wrote an article for Bleacher Report. “The Ideal Offseason Trade Scenario for Every NFL Team” has a few bright ideas for the teams. It’s interesting to note that Sobleski mentioned an inter-division trade between Brady’s team and the Miami Dolphins.

Will Dont’a Hightower leave the Patriots?

The Dolphins will try to rebuild the organization this offseason. They got head coach Brian Flores from the Patriots, and now they need leaders.

We all know that the Patriots have the power to get significant value for players who are 1-2 years away from their decline. Hightower will turn 30 in March, and this will be the final year of his contract.

Division rivals almost never engage in business together. However, this trade may increase Hightower’s value. According to Sobleski, Miami needs “a tone-setter to expedite their rebuild.” His theory suggests that Hightower will go to Miami in an exchange for a second-round draft pick.

He will play out the final year of the contract extension he signed in 2017. Hightower will turn 30, but his game is sharper than ever. Is New England interested in sending him away?

In the 2016 NFL Draft, the Patriots traded two sixth-round picks and a seventh-round pick to Miami for moving up 49 spots for the team’s fifth-round pick. In 2007, head coach Bill Belichick sent a second-round pick and a seventh-round pick for wideout Wes Welker. In his six seasons with TB12 and coach Belichick, Welker had 672 receptions, 7,459 yards and 37 touchdowns.