Dont'a Hightower

Patriots' Dont'a Hightower (shoulder) unlikely to need surgery

New England Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower (shoulder) is expected to avoid offseason surgery.

What It Means:

Hightower dealt with knee and shoulder injuries throughout the year. He missed three games, but was never fully healthy. This is good news for Hightower's free-agent stock after he reportedly turned down more than $10 million annually from the Patriots before the season.

The Patriots' defense ranked 11th in the league by opponent-adjusted Defensive Net Expected Points per play this season.