This must be a conflicting time for Hightower, who is set to hit the free agent market this offseason. The Patriots have made a living jettisoning soon-to-be expired contracts but he is still here playing out the final weeks of his rookie deal. Coach Bill Belichick will almost undoubtedly make an offer, and it is a safe bet that it won't be as lucrative as the one that Collins received. The Patriots have let better players walk in the past.