Welcome Back, Razorback: Patriots Re-Sign DE Trey Flowers

The New England Patriots are adding veteran defensive end Trey Flowers to an already talented group of pass rushers.

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots are bringing a bit of championship swagger back to their locker room just in time for their preseason debut. 

Veteran free-agent defensive end Trey Flowers, who played with the Patriots from 2015-18, is reportedly re-joining the team, after being hosted for a workout on Monday. Terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed. 

During his four years in New England, including the postseason, the former Arkansas Razorback compiled 26.5 sacks, 203 tackles, five forced-fumbles and two recoveries; helping the Patriots to two Super Bowl victories (LI, LIII) in the process. Flowers signed a five-year, $90 million deal with the Detroit Lions in March 2019, where he continued to play at a high level before being released in March 2022 due to injury concerns and coast-cutting measures. Flowers signed with the Miami Dolphins in August, but saw his season come to a premature end by being placed on injured reserve in October.

When healthy, Flowers is still capable of being one of the more formidable pass rushers in the league, demonstrating great instincts and ability to locate the ball. He is also a stout run defender, as well as a positive and influential presence in the locker room.

While several of Flowers’ former New England teammates have since left the team, he will be reunited with fellow defensive end, and former Razorbacks’ teammate Deatrich Wise, Jr. — who has followed Flowers’ example to achieve prominence both on and off the field. 

In fact, among the many tweets that Wise received upon being selected in the fourth round by the Pats in the 2018 NFL Draft, one of the most notable came from Flowers.

Being well aware of the work it takes to succeed in Foxboro, Flowers knew that his friend [turned teammate] had the necessary intangibles to find similar success. For Wise, he has described his relationship with Flowers as that of an ‘older brother-type.’ With that tweet, his ‘older brother’ put him on notice, with each finding their own success.

Since that time, Wise has gone on to become a key component of the Patriots front seven, earning one of the team’s coveted team-captain spots in 2022 — due largely in part to the positive influence Flowers had on him.  

Flowers also continues to be held in the highest regard by Patriots coach Bill Belichick. While New England may not have matched his highly lucrative contract offer from the Bob Quinn-Matt Patricia led Lions in 2019, Flowers remained well-respected by Belichick and the Patriots brain trust.

“Trey works extremely hard,” Belichick said of Flowers in 2018. “He’s one of the hardest-working guys on the team. … He’s a very versatile and valuable player for us.”

Though the Pats are stocked with formidable pass rushers such as Wise, Matthew Judon and Josh Uche, Flowers’ previous success in the Patriots’ system, combined with Belichick’s penchant for familiarity, makes for an intriguing potential reunion in New England. While he still has enough left to earn a spot on the 53-man roster, he may also serve as a practice squad mentor — a role similar to that which Jamie Collins, Sr. played last season. 

No matter his assignment, Flowers is expected to join the Patriots on the practice fields on Tuesday for the team’s 12th training camp practice. 

New England is set to host the Houston Texans for their first preseason game on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Gillette Stadium. 

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