New England Patriots: Patriots defense changing philosophy under Brian Flores

The New England Patriots defense is looking to be aggressive as they head into the new season.

It may be minicamp, but the New England Patriots are turning things up. At Wednesday’s practice, Brian Flores was a big presence on the sidelines demanding a lot from players early in the season.

Dont’a Hightower is the leader of the Patriots defense and seems to enjoy the attitude Flores is bringing to these early practices.

"“He’s not backing down [and will] be more aggressive,” said Hightower, the two-time captain. “You could see it. I think this was probably our best practice we’ve had and we want to continue to build on that.”“I feel like he brings a lot of competitiveness. Flo has always been known as a straight shooter, a great guy, and a lot of times that’s what you need. He’s not one to babysit,” he said. “I think a lot of guys really appreciate the attitude that he’s brought to us, just in OTAs.”More from Chowder and Champions3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster DeadlineMLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 SeasonRed Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win"

The Patriots defense is coming off the worst performance they’ve had in the Super Bowl. Tom Brady threw for over 500 yards and it still wasn’t enough. The blame sits solely on the defense’s shoulders.

Important season for Hightower

This is also a big season for Hightower. He is coming off a season where he was constantly injured. Hightower dealt with an early knee injury and his season came to a close due to a torn pectoral muscle. He is now healthy and is looking to cement his place as one of the best linebackers in the league.

Hightower has only played one full season in his 6 year NFL career. He has to prove that he can survive a season. Hightower is 28 years old and every injury makes it less likely that the Patriots will re-sign him when his contract is up.

When he is on the field Hightower is a delight to watch. He can slip through the line with ease and holds his own when back in coverage. In 72 games, Hightower has 263 tackles and 19 sacks.

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With Hightower back, the Patriots would get their leader back. Hightower is the Quarterback of the defense and probably one of its most important parts.