The New England Patriots already had a stout defensive unit, but that group is getting even strong now that the team is bringing back one of its former stars during multiple Super Bowl runs.
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On Tuesday, August 8, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport tweeted that the Patriots were reuniting with former pass rusher Trey Flowers following a recent workout.
Reunion: The #Patriots are signing their former homegrown pass-rusher Trey Flowers, source said, after recently working him out. The Super Bowl champ won two titles in NE left for big money in Detroit. Now back with the Pats. pic.twitter.com/e7Crp7fozY
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 8, 2023
Flowers was a hidden gem for the Patriots after being selected in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Arkansas. He spent four seasons in New England, racking up 21 sacks and another 5.5 sacks in the postseason while contributing to two different Super Bowl teams.
The talented outside linebacker left the Patriots as a free agent in the 2019 offseason, signing a five-year, $90 million contract with the Detroit Lions. After a strong first season with the NFC franchise, Flowers had seasons cut short in 2020 and 2021 before being released by the team in 2022.
Flowers signed on with the Miami Dolphins just before the start of the 2022 season, but played in just four games before being shut down again and being placed on injured reserve.
Now, the 29-year-old is given another chance to produce for the team that originally drafted him. While the Patriots haven't been the same team without Tom Brady, they still boast a strong defensive unit that has playmakers like Matthew Judon, Jonathan Jones, and first-round rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
Flowers give the Patriots some added depth on the edge, which is something that they'll need in a hyper-competitive AFC East that includes star quarterbacks in Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, and Tua Tagovailoa.
Although he's had a hard time staying healthy over the past few seasons, Flowers has a chance to be a legitimate contributor for the Patriots as long as he's able to stay on the field and away from injured reserve.
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