Dont’a Hightower rumors: Visiting with Steelers
Dont’a Hightower will be visiting with the Pittsburgh Steelers according to Adam Schefter.
It’s a Pittsburgh Steelers tradition to be strong up the middle, especially on defense. For the past eight season, Lawrence Timmons was a huge part of that philosophy. However, Timmons has reportedly signed a deal with the Miami Dolphins creating a void. The Steelers are wasting no time searching for his replacement, and will host top free agent linebacker Dont’a Hightower for a visit.
After visiting the NY Jets, Patriots free-agent LB Dont'a Hightower is scheduled to visit the Steelers, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2017
In 2016, Timmons led the team with 114 tackles and also notched two interceptions and a forced fumble to go along with 2.5 sacks. However, Timmons recently turned 30 years old, which means his decline could be coming soon. Pittsburgh is actively trying to get younger on defense, so letting go of their long time veteran presence makes sense. Hightower is a perfect fit to fill the void for the Steelers.
The two-time Super Bowl champion has a similar skill set as Timmons. Hightower stops the run very effectively and can be relied on for big plays. Though Hightower had just 65 tackles, it’s worth noting New England’s defense tends to rely on a unit as opposed to a single player. Also, teams often found themselves behind against them, which caused them to see more passes than runs. Hightower picked up 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in 2016. He’s also four years younger than Timmons, making him a great fit with the Steelers.
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Pittsburgh is going to miss their former linebacker, however Hightower is an ideal replacement. Zach Brown, formerly of the Buffalo Bills, could be a nice fit as well. He’s athletic and can do a variety of things, which is different from Timmons, who was primarily a run stopper.