Field Yates of ESPN reports that the Patriots have placed veteran LB Dont’a Hightower and DT Alan Branch on the PUP list for the start of training camp.
The Patriots can activate either player whenever they want, so this isn’t all that big of a concern for their 2017 status.
Hightower, 27, is a former first-round pick of the Patriots back in 2012. He played out his rookie contract before the Patriots picked up his fifth-year option last year and tested the open market as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career this offseason.