The New England Patriots closed the 2015 NFL season with four key defensive players whose contracts would be up at the end of the 2016 season – cornerback Malcolm Butler, linebacker Jamie Collins, defensive end Chandler Jones and linebacker Dont'a Hightower.
The Patriots traded Jones to the Arizona Cardinals on March 15. They traded Collins to the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 31.
Perhaps appropriately, that leaves Butler and Hightower with the team for Sunday night's game against the Seattle Seahawks. When New England defeated Seattle in the Super Bowl to cap the 2014 season, Hightower and Butler made game-saving plays on the final two snaps for the Seahawks' offense.