LB Dont'a Hightower back with New England Patriots in more ways than one

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Linebacker Dont'a Hightower tested the free-agent waters this spring before the Pro Bowler returned to the New England Patriots on a four-year, $43 million contract. Until this week, though, Hightower had not been on the practice field with his teammates, missing training camp and the first two preseason games while on PUP.

After being removed from PUP and returning to the practice field Aug. 22, the team captain talked about his return to the New England team he first joined as a first-round pick out of Alabama in 2012.

"It's good. Glad I didn't have to relocate," Hightower said. "Stressful, but glad it's over with. Glad I'm here, that I'm back and I'm glad I'm back on the field."

After a college career under head coach Bill Belichick pal Nick Saban, Hightower's versatility and style have always fit well in New England's defense.

"It's meant a lot (to be a Patriot)," Hightower said. "I've been here my whole career. It wasn't a hard a change from what I had in college. I was definitely used to it, so it wasn't a big change. I feel like I've had a lot of success in programs like this. Alabama and New England are not too far different. So just the culture around here, the teammates, the coaches around here is just second to none anywhere. So, when it came down to making my decision, it wasn't too hard a choice."

And despite the late start, Hightower is focused on getting back to work for a Patriots team that begins its title defense in a mere two weeks.

"Now it's more about me getting acclimated back to football," Hightower said of being ready to play. "I've got all the little rehab stuff out of the way. Now it's time to focus on football."

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Tight end Rob Gronkowski saw somewhat unexpected preseason action last Saturday night in Houston. Prior to his snaps against the Texans, the All-Pro tight end hadn't played in the preseason since 2012.

At times, like last summer when Gronkowski dealt with a hamstring issue, the absence was due to injury. Other times, it seemed more like a precaution for the oft-injured big man.

This summer, though, with Gronkowski coming off last December's back surgery that was the third of his football career, he's embracing his preseason work.

"I'm glad I was out there," Gronkowski said of a little more than a dozen reps in Houston. "It felt good just to get the game speed. You can never get enough reps. You can never get enough practice reps. So, it felt great to go out there and get my feet wet and see what it's all about again.

"I just felt the benefit when I was out there; the speed of the game, live game speed. It's been a while for me. I felt the benefit of getting in sync blocking-wise, the cadence and everything like that. I'm taking all positives out of it."

Another change this offseason has seen Gronkowski take part in some of quarterback Tom Brady's now-famous diet and workout program - aka the TB12 Method. That's included, apparently, the frat-boy tight end giving up both coffee and alcohol.

"I don't do that stuff right now. It's football time. I never really have done that stuff during football time," Gronkowski said as he prepared for New England's trip to Detroit for the third preseason game of the summer.

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Brady should see his most extended action Aug. 25 in Detroit against the Lions in the Patriots' third preseason game. Historically, Brady and the bulk of the offense have played at least half the third preseason game, often even going into the third quarter.

Brady acknowledged there is a balance going on between normal preparations for preseason action and beginning to think about the Sept. 7 regular-season opener against the Chiefs that's just around the corner. Still, his work against the Lions is a key part of the overall process.

"For me, it's just feeling the rhythm of the game, and it's different than practice," Brady said. "The rhythm of practice is very different, and the only way to simulate the game is to play. I can draw on a lot of experience, but it's nice to get out there and actually do it. I mean, it was fun being out there last week. It will be, obviously, fun being out there this week, but you're just trying to build up for one game, the start of the season in September. Everything is building toward that. Those snaps that you're taking with new players are really important. It was nice to get (running back) Rex (Burkhead) a touchdown pass (last week against Houston), and just for him to feel what it's like for all us to look at another guy's eyes in the huddle during the course of a game and saying, 'Look, this is where we're at. This is football. This is exactly what we're going to be doing when the season kicks off on Thursday night.'"

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While guys like Brady, Gronkowski and the rest of the Patriots' stars will be getting their final significant preseason reps Friday night in Detroit, the bottom of the New England roster will also be battling it out for roster spots and roles. There is only one cutdown date in the NFL this year, coming on Sept. 2.

That's less than two weeks for guys to prove their worth to Belichick.

"This is the National Football League and there is pressure every week," Belichick declared in his usual matter-of-fact manner. "There is pressure this week. There is going to be pressure in October. There is going to be pressure in November. We're going to be under stress all year every week. We're going to be under stress out on the field every week against every opponent. Playing in the National Football League, that's what you sign up for. If you're looking for vacation weeks and weeks off where we play some Division 4 team and all of that, that doesn't happen in this league. There is stress every week. So, is there stress in training camp? Yeah, there is plenty of it.

"There is pressure every week in this league. If there's too much pressure in August, it's probably going to be too much pressure in November. This is the world we live in. You tell me a week in this National Football League when there is not pressure, I don't know when that is. Every week is a tough week. Every week is a good team, good players, good coaches, work hard that have a lot of things that you've got to deal with, and if you don't deal with them then you're not going to win that week. That's the NFL."