The New York Jets' interest in Dont'a Hightower is legitimate. Not only did they do the wine-and-dine thing, but they helped celebrate his 27th birthday on Sunday by giving him cupcakes and posting a "Happy Birthday" greeting on screens around the team's facility.

Hightower, one of the cogs in the New England Patriots' defense, is arguably the top free agent available. He is wanted by at least three teams -- the Patriots, Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers, who have scheduled a visit on Monday and Tuesday. The Jets have less to offer in terms of potential for immediate team success, but money can be the great equalizer in situations like this.

The Jets have been playing small ball in free agency, which makes their courtship of Hightower so interesting. He would be a home run signing -- or would he? Let's examine some of the pros and cons:

Positives

• He's a winner. He was a two-time national champion at Alabama and a two-time Super Bowl champ with the Patriots. The Jets need guys with a winning pedigree to help change the culture.

• He can lead a defense. Presumably, he would replace David Harris as the quarterback of the unit. Harris has been doing it for nearly a decade, but he's 33 and this is a young man's game. At 27, Hightower is young enough to be part of the Jets' rebuilding effort. He would galvanize the team's young linebacker corps and complement the big boys up front.

• He could help the pass rush. Many inside linebackers are two-down run stuffers who take a seat in passing situations, but Hightower plays every down because of his ability as a blitzer. In 2016 (counting the postseason), the Patriots allowed an impressive 33.0 Total QBR when he was used in the pass rush, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Did you watch the Super Bowl?

Negatives

• The contract probably won't be as lucrative as he imagined at the start of free agency, but Hightower still will land an impressive deal. It figures to be in an annual range of $10 million to $12 million, with at least $20 million guaranteed. Remember, the Jets used a first-round pick last year on Darron Lee. Is that overkill at one position? They have so many other needs, and they could allocate the cap space to help other positions. Sticking with Harris for another year isn't a bad option.

• Hightower has some durability questions, having missed 11 games over the past three years with knee and shoulder injuries. His knee issues go back to college, and that could be a concern for a 265-pound linebacker. Will he be the same player in two years?

• Let's call this the Bill Belichick factor. That he was willing to let Hightower hit the open market -- no franchise tag, no transition tag -- should raise some suspicion. The Hoodie is cold and ruthless when it comes to evaluating his own players, and he's usually right. The list of players who have thrived in LAP (Life After Patriots) is short. It makes you wonder about Hightower.