Patriots bringing back Trey Flowers, who helped New England win its last two Super Bowl crowns

Once a New England Patriot, always a New England Patriot. At least that’s how Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has operated this offseason with his coaching decisions and roster moves this offseason. Belichick hired Bill O’Brien as the team’s offensive coordinator, a position O’Brien held back in 2011, and on Tuesday, he signed one of his former draft picks, edge rusher Trey Flowers, according to NFL Media. 

Flowers left to be a Detroit Lion in 2019, signing a five-year, $90 million deal in free agency. Flowers was released following the 2021 season and played 2022 for the AFC East rival Miami Dolphins. 

This signing is Belichick taking a flier on a 29-year-old who was part of the franchise’s last two Super Bowl titles in 2016 and 2018, because after Flowers had at least 6.5 sacks each year from 2016-2019, he has failed tor register more than two in a season since 2020. 

The Patriots were one of the NFL’s top pass rushes a season ago, totaling 54 sacks, tied for the third-most in the league with the Dallas Cowboys, and pressuring opposing quarterbacks on 36.5% of their dropbacks, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL in 2022. New England edge rusher Matt Judon’s 15.5 sacks in 2022 were tied for the fourth-most of any player in the league last season, and lining up next to him, perhaps Flowers could bloom once again.