Dont’a off his rocker
Vet Hightower pushes to shake off injury rust
FOXBORO — The Patriots tend to take a cautious approach in August with their star players, unless the player is returning from a prolonged absence. Then it’s full speed ahead. That’s the case with Dont’a Hightower, who was thrown into the fire for 27 snaps in Thursday’s preseason opener against the Redskins.
“It felt like I didn’t play for about 10 months,” said Hightower, who suffered a season-ending pectoral injury against the Falcons in Week 7 of the 2017 season. “It’s been a while, still got to knock a little rust off of me. You can do some of that in practice but there’s nothing like a live game so definitely will take advantage of what I got left.”
Hightower didn’t appear to be too rusty. On the very first snap, Hightower blew up a Redskins running play, driving tight end Jeremy Sprinkle backward and absorbing a block from fullback Elijah Wellman. Running back Rob Kelley was forced to cut inside, where he was corralled by Derek Rivers after a minimal gain.
The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Hightower primarily played strong-side linebacker in his 2018 debut. There was a lot to like about Hightower’s performance, but he indicated yesterday that he was a “little shaky getting back into it.”
One example: On Colt McCoy’s 25-yard touchdown pass to running back Byron Marshall, Hightower bull-rushed tackle Geron Christian from the left edge. He got leverage, sent Christian sliding backward, but appeared to lose track of McCoy. As Hightower steamrolled into the pocket, McCoy simply stepped to his right to escape and deliver the ball to Marshall in the flat.
Yesterday, Hightower said he’s “looking to get more snaps.”
“Practice and game, it’s a little different,” Hightower said. “I felt good when I was out there though.”
Hightower has been labeled as an injury-prone player, but the fact is that he had never missed more than two consecutive games prior to landing on IR this past October. He battled through numerous knee injuries, and was practically playing with one arm when he dragged down Marshawn Lynch at the 1-yard line in Super Bowl XLIX. Yet this experience — going nearly 10 months without any live contact— is new territory for Hightower.
“Just going to continue to stay what I’m on as far as my rehab, massages, acupuncture and all that good stuff,” he said. “Try to keep a routine and hopefully it will hold me solid over.”
Hightower walked off the field with rookie linebacker Christian Sam after yesterday’s practice, providing advice for the sixth-round pick.
“I just kind of gave him my experience and how it was when I came in and the older guys I had with (Niko) Koutouvides, (Brandon) Spikes and (Jerod) Mayo and just how that transition from OTAs to training camp to preseason, how all that stuff kind of affects you,” Hightower explained. “Sam’s a good kid, he’s obviously good at learning and willing to ask those extra questions so you know anything I can do for those young boys and I guess I’m the old head.”
At 28, Hightower is indeed the oldest linebacker on the roster. He’s by far the longest-tenured Patriots linebacker; Brandon King, who was an undrafted free agent in 2015, is next on the list.
“They’re trying to get me a rocking chair in there, man,” Hightower joked. “I’m not that old.”
If the Pats can rely on a younger player like Elandon Roberts or rookie Ja’Whaun Bentley to handle middle linebacker duties, Hightower would be freed up to play on the strong side in the team’s base defense. In passing situations, the Pats are likely to use two linebackers.
Kyle Van Noy is their best coverage linebacker, so he’ll probably stay on the field. Hightower, meanwhile, is easily their best pass-rushing linebacker. He might be their best pure pass-rusher. He’s an important chess piece for this 2018 defense, perhaps the MVP on the entire unit.
The Pats want to make sure he’s knocked off all the rust by the time the regular season rolls around.