The next two days will begin to unveil the early tenor of the Patriots’ performance in free agency.
With the 52-hour legal tampering period opening Tuesday at noon, the Pats will start to truly get a sense of what it will cost to keep their prized free agents. Barring a drastic about-face, linebacker Dont’a Hightower, cornerback Logan Ryan, tight end Martellus Bennett and safety Duron Harmon will all hit free agency Thursday at 4 p.m., according to sources. Defensive tackle Alan Branch, another premier free agent, made strong progress with his negotiations last week, so it’s conceivable they could come to terms prior to the dawn of the new league year.