As the NFL season begins to come into focus, it’s fair to wonder who will be the Patriots team MVP for the 2020 season. In what is a year of change, the choice for me would be linebacker Dont’a Hightower.
When you look at the change that New England has undergone this offseason, Hightower is truly one of the major veterans at the position. The Patriots have intriguing players at the position, like Ja’Whaun badly, and rookies and Anfernee Jennings and Josh Uche However, Hightower is the one player at the position that has seen it all and done it all in terms of his professional career.
Last season, Hightower recorded 71 tackles and 13 quarterback hits in 15 games. Although his numbers were a bit down from previous years, that was still a quality season. Now, he will have to be the leader at the position for the future.
A Bill Belichick-led defense asks a lot of its linebackers. Over the years, we have seen players such as Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinest, and Jerod Mayo become leaders of the defense. They led the defense with poise, and could always sniff out plays as they were happening.
They were much more than the guys who were able to fill gaps and make plays in the backfield. They were players that their teammates gravitated towards and tried to emulate. The trio mentioned above were consistent throughout their careers. Along with physical ability, their smarts allowed them to act like a coach on the field.
With the way the linebacker position is constructed, and with new faces at the position, Hightower is falling into that same veteran type-role. he certainly won’t be alone, as Jamie Collins figures to be a big part of the linebacker group as well. However, heading into his ninth season, all spent with New England, he knows what Bill Belichick wants accomplished perhaps better than anybody on this defense.
Hightower may not be as fast as he once was, and he may not be able to pursue plays as well as he did his rookie season. However, his knowledge will help carry the next group of linebackers and prepare them for the future. He will provide stability on a unit that is getting younger, much like Mayo did in Hightower’s rookie season. It will be fascinating to see how he will lead this unit in 2020.
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