The New England Patriots are on the clock. Every day is a day closer to the beginning of the 2017 offseason, when a laundry list of big-name free agents could be taking their talents somewhere else.
There are still 16 regular-season and up to four playoff games between now and then, and anything can happen in that period. The Patriots would be wise to stay ahead of the curve with their most important players, but with linebackers Jamie Collins and Dont'a Hightower both facing the end of their Patriots careers, cornerback Malcolm Butler might have to wait on a new deal for the time being.