One Free Agent Edge Rusher The Vikings Should Add Before Camp

Trey Flowers has history with Brian Flores and could be a force if he's healthy.

The Vikings don't have to be done adding to their roster. As training camp and the regular season approach, they have the cap space to sign a few more players who can add depth at positions of need.

One free agent who makes a lot of sense as a potential addition is edge rusher Trey Flowers, who has a history with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

Depending on what happens with the Danielle Hunter situation, the Vikings could find themselves in desperate need of another starting-caliber edge defender or two. But even if Hunter gets extended and sticks around in Minnesota, signing Flowers could boost the depth for a position group that lost Za'Darius Smith to Cleveland.

Flowers turns 30 in August, so it's hard to call him washed up just yet. Unfortunately, he only played in 18 games over the past three seasons with the Lions and Dolphins due to various injuries. Health is a major question mark with Flowers, but it's also a reason why it shouldn't cost much to add him on a one-year deal.

A fourth-round pick by the Patriots out of Arkansas in 2015, Flowers spent four seasons overlapping with Flores in New England. During that time, he quickly became a standout outside linebacker on one of the league's best defenses. Flowers barely played as a rookie, but he racked up 21 sacks and five forced fumbles between 2016 and 2018. He added 5.5 sacks in nine playoff games during that time, winning two Super Bowls.

In 2019, Flowers signed a huge five-year, $90 million contract with the Lions. He continued to produce in his first year in Detroit, recording another seven sacks and 62 pressures — his third straight year with at least 60 pressures. The injury bug has hit Flowers hard since then, but he's still been fairly productive when he's managed to get on the field. Last season, he played just 64 defensive snaps with the Dolphins, recording eight pressures.

When looking at the last three years, it's very difficult to count on Flowers staying healthy in 2023. However, the cost of signing him shouldn't be high and the potential upside he could provide if he does stay healthy makes it worth the risk. Reuniting Flowers with Flores could add some nice depth and talent to the Vikings' rotation at OLB.

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