The Lions have agreed to sign free agent DE Trey Flowers, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Schefter tweets that it will be a five-year pact, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that it will be worth around $16MM-$17MM per year.
The official Flowers numbers are in. It’s a five-year, $90MM deal for the former Patriots defensive end, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter), adding Flowers will receive $56MM guaranteed and $40MM fully guaranteed at signing. All of that fully guaranteed cash will come Flowers’ way by 2020, per Albert Breer of SI.com (on Twitter). Flowers will earn $28.88MM in 2019 and $54.37MM in the first three years of this deal.
This contract will bring a $28MM signing bonus, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter). The first two base salaries — $805K in 2019 and $11.13MM (2020) — are fully guaranteed, per Wilson, who adds Flowers’ next two salaries will be $14.38MM (2021, with that total being guaranteed for injury only) and $10MM. The $10MM 2022 figure becomes fully guaranteed if Flowers is on the Lions’ roster on the third day of the 2021 league year.
Flowers was one of the top defenders available on the market this year, and it was reported this morning that the Bills were interested in his services. The Jets and Dolphins were also rumored to be interested in the soon-to-be former Patriot, but he instead opted to reunite with Matt Patricia in Detroit to bolster a pass rush that definitely needs some help.
Flowers won’t turn 26 until August, so he has the chance to build on an already impressive resume. Last year, he set a new career high with 7.5 sacks and continued to generate pressure against opposing QBs. He graded out as the sixth-best edge rusher in the entire NFL according to Pro Football Focus, and he posted a career-best 88.7 overall score. That mark put him below only Calais Campbell, Khalil Mack, J.J. Watt, Von Miller, and Cameron Jordan.
The Lions were expected to be active in free agency, and they have not disappointed. Flowers is the biggest addition the club has made so far, but they also signed Danny Amendola this morning and are expected to sign Justin Coleman.
Nice for NE that he’s now irrelevant.
Who Super Bowl’s in the past three years? Yeah, I guess winning is highly overrated.
Good signing for the Detorit Patraoits
Hate to see him leave but estatic he isn’t going to Buf or Mia.
Another comp pick for NE. Keep piling them up
Vikings cap mess prevents them from upgrading and the Packers are breaking in a new coaching staff so there is a window of opportunity here for the Lions. They should be as aggressive as possible in free agency. Adding a much needed pass rusher is a good start for them.
I agree, but I also think Stafford limits the team’s ceiling. But he’s not a liability either, so if they can keep building the defense they could be on to something.
Would love if Murray slipped to 8 but I know that won’t happen.
Lions need to move on from Stafford somehow
Flowers to soon appear in Detroit !!
Trey Flowers, Justin Coleman, Danny Amendola, I see a common theme here.
Patriot’s castoffs are gladly welcomed in Detroit.
Big signing for Detroit. Fills a huge need on The line. The money probably made William Clay Ford roll over in his grave.