In the 2015 NFL Draft, the Patriots took Trey Flowers in the fourth round out of Arkansas. Over the last three seasons, he’s played for two different teams and has been riddled with injuries. He played for the Dolphins last season but only made 4 appearances. 

Flowers’ best years in the NFL came with the New England Patriots. In 2019, he signed a five-year, $90 million deal with the Detroit Lions. He played only three years of that deal with the Lions due to injuries and they let him go early. The Patriots will benefit from having FLowers’ veteran presence back on their defensive line.

Trey Flowers returns to the Patriots after four seasons with New England to start his career

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

In the 2020 and 2021 seasons combined, Flowers only played in 14 games for the Detroit Lions. The last time he played double-digit games in a season was in 2019 when he played and started in 15 for Detroit. Flowers will turn 30 next week and still has the ability to be an effective player if he can stay healthy.

New England is aware of his past injury history and they will take that into account this season. This offseason, the Patriots added Keion White through the draft in 2023. Deatrich Wise will also play a lot of snaps for the Patriots this season. Their coaching staff can be strategic in how they use Flowers.

Update: #Patriots sign LB/DE Trey Flowers, per @RapSheet

A former Pats draft pick comes back home. pic.twitter.com/rjGKyDQ7zw

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 8, 2023

Flowers is a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots and knows what it takes to reach the top. He can be a mentor for the younger players that the Patriots have on their roster in 2023.  Jamie Collins played that role as a veteran mentor for the younger players last season. That could be Trey Flowers’ role heading into this season.