Quick-hit thoughts around NFL & Pats – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston

Nugget on Spikes below and not entirely unexpected, we pondered if Hightower was headed to more MLB time all offseason.

One line of thinking was that Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes stayed away from the team’s voluntary offseason program to give himself the best chance to become a three-down linebacker in the team’s system. But through eight training camp practices, it doesn’t seem like that is where things are decisively headed. More often than not, Spikes has been coming off the field in sub packages, and in some cases, top draft pick Jamie Collins (second round, 52nd overall) is coming on to add more speed and athleticism. It’s still early, but if anything, it looks like second-year linebacker Dont’a Hightower, not Spikes, might be primed to stay on the field more in passing situations.