Dont’a Hightower’s team-friendly contract may not have been due to the Patriots linebacker’s dedication to New England. His physical with teams during free agency meetings may have made him less desirable on the open market, according to MMQB’s Albert Breer.

“The Jets and Steelers put him through the paces, had a need at that position, and both those teams looked at his physical and backed off,” Breer said Sunday on CSNNE’s “Sports Sunday”. “There’s stuff there that’s scary about him long term. Whether or not he’s going to be able to hold up long term is a big question. … Even look at the way the Patriots structured the contract — the Patriots structured the contract to protect them.”

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After visiting with the New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers, Hightower returned to the Patriots on a four-year, $45 million deal with $19 million guaranteed. For an elite inside linebacker who has also proven to be an efficient pass-rusher, Hightower’s deal looked like a bargain.

Hightower, 27, will start the Patriots’ training camp on the physically unable to perform list. He missed three games with a knee injury last season. He also got shoulder surgery immediately after the Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX after the 2015 season. His injury list is long, which is why he’s only played one complete regular season in his five-year career.

With so many injuries, Breer thought Hightower’s future could resemble a recently retired Patriots linebacker.

“We saw the way it went south for Jerod Mayo pretty quick. That’s a physical position,” Breer added on “Sports Sunday.”

Indeed, Mayo dealt with a litany of injuries, which eventually made a quick end of the linebacker’s career. His play declined sharply, and he retired early. Perhaps, Hightower’s career is in for a similar ending when he gets on the wrong side of 30 years old.