Patriots Notes: Hightower, Hicks, Amendola
Here’s a look at the Pats:
- The Patriots will probably consider trading for an inside linebacker in the wake of Dont’a Hightower‘s injury, but they also have to think carefully about further mortgaging their future, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. Already, the Eagles are on track to send a fourth-round pick to the Eagles for the Eric Rowe deal plus 2018 fifth- and seventh-round picks to the Seahawks to acquire Cassius Marsh and a 2019 sixth-round pick in a deal with the Lions for cornerback Johnson Bademosi.
- Hightower isn’t their only injury concern. Wide receiver Danny Amendola is dealing with a hyperextended knee, as Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald writes. Amendola’s injury, which is nowhere near as serious as Hightower’s, happened during a punt return against the Falcons. Amendola missed practice on Wednesday, but managed to return Thursday, so he could theoretically gut it out on Sunday against the Chargers. Alternatively, they may look to rest the 31-year-old for a bit with the bye week on the horizon. The Amendola injury could impact the Pats’ course of action in filling Hightower’s shoes. They might need a 53-man roster spot to add a wide receiver, or even a defensive tackle in the wake of Malcom Brown‘s ankle injury.
- Coach Bill Belichick called defensive lineman Akiem Hicks at the last minute in 2016 to try and sign him in free agency, Patrick Finley of the Sun-Times writes. Ultimately, the reunion didn’t happen and Chicago is grateful for that. In 2015, Hicks totaled three sacks in 13 regular-season games for New England and was ranked by Pro Football Focus as its 14th-best defensive tackle. In 2016, Hicks finished out with a career-high 54 tackles and seven sacks, setting himself up for a four-year, $48MM extension with the Bears this September. Through seven games this year, he already has six sacks and 24 tackles. Within the article, Hicks also blamed his so-so performance in New Orleans on being miscast as an edge rusher.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/26/17
Here are today’s practice squad moves.
Detroit Lions
- Signed: T Storm Norton
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Jake Kumerow
- Cut: DT Mike Purcell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Cut: DE Marquavius Lewis
Patriots’ Dont’a Hightower Done For Season?
3:35pm: Hightower underwent surgery to repair the damaged pectoral muscle on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport adds the veteran linebacker is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2018 season.
10:30am: The Patriots still do not know if Hightower will be out for the year, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Hightower will visit Dr. James Andrews to get a better assessment of the damage.
9:51am: Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower will miss the remainder of the season with a torn pectoral, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Pats are expected to formally place him on injured reserve on Thursday afternoon. 
Losing Hightower is a major blow to the Patriots’ defense. As the team’s middle linebacker, Hightower was essentially the leader of the front seven and the extension of defensive coordinator Matt Patricia on the field.
Hightower missed two of the Pats’ games in September and his absence was noticeable. Heading into Week 4, the usually solid Pats ranked dead last in the NFL in points allowed, yards allowed, and defensive DVOA. They can draw from a reserve group including Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts (missed Sunday’s game with an injury of his own), David Harris, Marquis Flowers, and Trevor Reilly, but it would make sense for them to explore available MLBs between now and the Halloween trade deadline.
Hightower, 27, played in 13 games last season and racked up 65 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles, ranking as Pro Football Focus’ 12th-best linebacker among 87 qualifiers. In the spring, he was rewarded with a four-year, $43.5MM deal, including $19MM guaranteed. The Patriots’ decision to keep Hightower and re-sign him on a large contract underscored his importance after they traded away other key defenders such as Jamie Collins and Chandler Jones.
AFC East Notes: Patriots, Hightower, Cutler
The Patriots were aware of Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks in the offseason when he was on the block and Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link) wonders if he could be a consideration for them now that Dont’a Hightower is dealing with a serious pectoral injury.
Kendricks has long been talked about as a trade candidate and he even requested a trade himself back in January. However, he has become vital to the team in the wake of Jordan Hicks‘ season-ending Achilles tear. Kendricks was on the field for 55 snaps in Week 6 and probably would have been in line for lots of burn last week if not for a hamstring injury. With a 6-1 record, the Eagles probably aren’t inclined to trade away a key defender like Kendricks before the deadline.
Here’s more from the AFC East:
- If he’s ruled out for the season, Hightower will lose out on $2.6MM+ in bonuses from the Patriots due to the torn pectoral and his previous knee injuries, Howe tweets. Hightower’s deal includes extra cash based on per-game play and play-time as well as Pro Bowl and All-Pro appearances.
- Despite his cracked ribs, Dolphins quarterback Jay Cutler is expected to be available a week from Sunday vs. Oakland, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). However, he will not be able to suit up for Thursday night’s game against Baltimore.
- The Patriots had wide receiver Jake Kumerow and fullback Marquez Williams in for free agent workouts on Wednesday, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. Kumerow was signed to the practice squad on Thursday morning.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/25/2017
Today’s practice squad updates:
Carolina Panthers
- Released: WR Austin Duke
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Victor Salako
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DE Stansly Maponga
Indianapolis Colts
- Claimed off waivers: C Dillon Day
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Mike Purcell
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL Nate Theaker
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DE Jhaustin Thomas
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB Don Cherry
- Released: DE Alex McCalister
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Rodney Coe
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Isaiah Johnson, DE Marquavius Lewis
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/25/2017
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Claimed off waivers: CB Lafayette Pitts
- Waived: CB Tony McRae
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted to active roster: TE Matt Lengel
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Jelani Jenkins
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Orson Charles
New England Patriots
- Promoted to active roster: LB Trevor Reilly
New York Jets
- Signed: TE Neal Sterling
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Xavier Coleman
Oakland Raiders
- Promoted to active roster: RB Elijah Hood
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: T Taylor Hart (two-year deal)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Deji Olatoye
Washington Redskins
- Signed: OL Tony Bergstrom
- Waived: DT A.J. Francis
AFC Notes: Steelers, Bryant, Patriots, Belichick, Jaguars, Albert
Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant says that he wants to be traded if he doesn’t get targeted more. It sounds like quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has gotten the message.
“Hopefully, it’s lots of touchdown passes,” Roethlisberger said (according to Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review). “We need to get the ball to him, to everybody, we all need to score points. There are opportunities there. That’s why I told him to come talk to me. We’ve had opportunities with deep balls that were just missed whether it was me overthrowing him or it’s the Chicago game where he slows down a little bit or this last game where he doesn’t see the ball coming out of my hand. There are plays to be had. We just have to make them.”
However, Roethlisberger will have to wait a while before lobbing passes in Bryant’s direction. On Wednesday, the Steelers informed the wide receiver that he will not be active for Sunday’s game against Detroit. After that, the Steelers have their bye week, so Bryant’s next opportunity to play will not come until Sunday Nov. 12 against Indianapolis.
- The trade deadline is right around the corner and Patriots coach Bill Belichick says he’s not afraid to deal. “The thing about us, other teams in the league know that we’re open for business,” Belichick told WEEI. “We’re not afraid to make a trade. If they are interested in trading somebody, we are usually a team that gets called because people think and know we’re open on those discussions. If we’re not interested we will tell them we’re not interested. Again, there’s no book on that. Every situation is different. Every trade is different. Every exchange is different, so you just have to take them as they come and if the two sides can agree, great. Sometimes one side wants something and the other side is just not ready to get to the same point.” Teams have until Oct. 31 to make trades.
- Before he was released by the Jaguars, Branden Albert was asked to play guard since he was not going to win the left tackle job, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM tweets. When he declined, Albert was shown the door. Presumably, his contract demands and flip-flopping on retirement did not help his case.
- On Wednesday, the Chargers shipped wide receiver Dontrelle Inman to the Bears.
Patriots To Place Harvey Langi On NFI List
The Patriots are placing Harvey Langi on the non-football injury list, according to Mark Daniels of The Providence Journal (on Twitter). The rookie linebacker was involved in a car accident earlier this month. 
Langi and his wife were said to have suffered “serious” injuries in the crash. The good news is that the injuries were not life-threatening. The bad news is that the injuries were bad enough to rule Langi out for the remainder of the 2017 season.
The BYU product went undrafted, but he was a hot commodity after the draft. The Patriots gave him an uncommonly high $100K base salary guarantee, in addition to a $15K signing bonus. The Pats think highly of him, so he should factor into their plans for 2018 if he returns to full health.
As a senior in college, Langi had 57 tackles, 2.0 sacks, and 5.0 sacks in 13 games. However, Langi’s junior season was arguably his best as he tallied 66 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 6.5 tackles for a loss in ten games. He appeared in just one game for the Patriots this year.
AFC Notes: Chargers, Cutler, Thomas
The LA Chargers experiment has come under fire from some for their small stadium, high prices and noticeable attendance from the road fanbases over the first six weeks of the NFL season. However, a Chargers team representative reportedly defended the move during last week’s owners meetings, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. La Canfora points out that the team does have a few years to get things right before they move into the new Inglewood stadium that will be shared with their Hollywood rival Rams. Although, there’s still concern about the lack of a Plan B if things continue to sputter for the newly relocated franchise. In addition to facing the challenge of capturing attention of the fanbase from the now 5-2 Rams, the Chargers are set in a smaller stadium and less certainty off the gridiron as well, even though it would seem that the team’s ownership group is not backing down from the problems that have stemmed from their controversial move from San Diego.
- Jay Cutler will soon undergo X-Rays on his ribs due to an injury he suffered in today’s game vs. the Jets, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter Link). Rapoport adds that team officials fear he has suffered cracked ribs, but will “check it all”. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com adds that he is now hearing Cutler may be out for the next 2-3 weeks. The injury adds to what has been a pedestrian season for the once retired 34 year-old. Through six games, he’s accumulated a QBR in the 30s, throwing almost as many picks as touchdowns (7 TD-5 INT). For the time being, Miami will turn to backup Matt Moore who led the team to a second half comeback in today’s win over New York.
- In another injury news, All-Pro Browns tackle Joe Thomas had his consecutive snaps streak broken after exiting with an apparent left arm injury. The injury represents another blow to what has been another gloomy season in Cleveland. The veteran lineman sent out a personal tweet after today’s game confirming that he will undergo an MRI tomorrow. Thomas has been a staple on the Browns offensive line since he was drafted by the team third overall in 2006. He played an incredible 10,363 offensive snaps until he exited today, which truly shows that grit and toughness of arguably best offensive lineman in the league for the past decade.
- Patriots highly-paid cornerback Stephon Gilmore sat out last week after suffering a concussion when he collided with the Bucs Mike Evans in Week 5. However, even with Gilmore and fellow corner Eric Rowe sidelined, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com opines that the team is more likely to promote a player for the practice squad than sign a veteran free agent like Leon Hall. Without Gilmore, the Pats will be relying Malcolm Butler, Johnson Bademosi and Jonathan Jones in the short-term.
- Jags rookie wide receiver Dede Westbrook is eligible to come off the IR after week 8 and he could be a welcomed deep ball threat for an offense that lost Allen Robinson early in the season, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. DiRocco cautioned that the team’s 2017 fourth round pick hasn’t played an NFL snap, but could operate as the Jags third wideout behind Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns because of his speed and big play ability. Jacksonville had struggled passing the ball through the first six weeks of the season, but found their rhythm today, albeit against a struggling Colts defense.
Eric Rowe Return Looking Like Fourth-Rounder
- Patriots CB Eric Rowe is set to miss tonight’s game against Atlanta with a groin injury, meaning he will have played less than 21.6 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. As Mike Reiss of ESPN.com points out, If Rowe plays in more than 50 percent of New England’s defensive snaps this season, the team will send a 2018 third-round draft choice to the Eagles to complete the trade that sent Rowe to the Pats. However, if he plays in fewer than 50 percent of the snaps, New England will send a fourth-rounder to Philadelphia, so it is looking increasingly likely that it will be a fourth-round pick heading the Eagles’ way in 2018.