Patriots LB Dont’a Hightower Out For Season With Torn Pec

Update:

According to Ian Rapoport, Patriots LB Dont’a Hightower underwent surgery on Thursday to repair a torn pec. The expectation is that Hightower should be fully recovered in time for the 2018 season.

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Ian Rapoport reports that Patriots LB Dont’a Hightower is out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle.

You can expect the Patriots to place him on injured reserve in the coming days and add someone to their roster.

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Jeff Howe reports that Patriots LB Dont’a Hightower will miss Week 8 due to a right shoulder injury and could potentially miss more time.

Howe mentions that his timetable is still “undefined” and the team is evaluating the extent of his injury. Hightower injured his shoulder during Week 7’s game against the Falcons.

Hightower, 27, is a former first-round pick of the Patriots back in 2012. He played out his rookie contract before the Patriots picked up his fifth-year option last year and tested the open market as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career this offseason.

Ultimately, Hightower returned to the Patriots on a four-year, $35.5 million contract that included $19 million guaranteed.

In 2016, Hightower appeared in 13 games for the Patriots and recorded 65 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, two pass defenses and a safety. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 13 linebacker out of 87 qualifying players.

So far this season, he has appeared in five games and recorded 14 total tackles and two sacks.