The New England Patriots appear to have settled on their replacement for the recently-traded linebacker Jamie Collins and it isn’t rookie Elandon Roberts.
Dont’a Hightower played every snap on defense and it appears that the Patriots are going to pair him with Kyle Van Noy and Shea McClellin based upon the game scenario.
Van Noy received the start next to Hightower and, according to Pro Football Focus, he dropped into coverage on 18 of his 27 snaps; just 5 of his snaps came against the run. He rushed the quarterback on his other snaps and had success generating pressure.