The Lions are set to release outside linebacker Trey Flowers, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). The Lions first tried to trade the veteran (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport), but they ultimately weren’t able to find a suitable deal.
With his outright release, Flowers will be a full-fledged unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team. However, that won’t become official until the first day of the league year (next week), as noted by Birkett. In theory, Flowers could still be traded between now and then, though his contract will probably be a blocker.
Flowers came up with the Patriots, where he missed all but one game in his rookie year. After that, he tallied 21 sacks and 25 tackles for loss across three full seasons. The Lions snagged him in the 2019 offseason, inking the edge rusher to a five-year, $90MM deal. His first year went well with seven sacks and eight total tackles for loss. Unfortunately, injuries have hampered him the last two years — he suited up in just 14 total games between 2020 and 2021.
By releasing the edge rusher, the Lions can save $10.4MM against $12.85MM in dead money. They can also spread out that dead money hit with the post-June 1 designation, which would kick roughly half of it to the 2023 books.
Flowers, 29 in August, had just 1.5 sacks in his partial season. Still, he has youth on his side, ample starting experience, and a career tally of 31.5 sacks.
Back to the Patriots on a cheaper deal?
I was thinking that this could be a possibility, especially with Van Noy gone.
Regardless of what NE fans think, the Pats are no longer a destination team without Brady. Not many players are going to throw the Pats a discount when they could sign with teams with a better shot at the Superbowl, including about half of the AFC.
What discount? Flowers got 5 years 90 mill from the lions. No one is paying him 18 mill a year, anywhere.
Also Bellichek and company have a tendency to bring back old friends on cheaper deals than they got elsewhere.
Recent examples inclide
Kyle Van Noy
Jamie Collins
Trent Brown
That doesn’t mean that the team will never sign another free agent. Immediately after Brady, Belichick signed Henry and Smith at TE, Agholor and Bourne at WR, Judon and Van Noy at EDGE, Godchaux at DT, and Mills at DB. So I’m not sure what you’re getting at.
EDIT: Oh Boy beat me to it. This post is in response to Sherminator.
He was disappointing paid like a star and struggling to make it to the field, but tons of teams could use him on a high end role player salary.
Another great signing by Bob Quinn who is arguably one of the worst GMs ever in NFL history.
Ehh, Quinn was bad, but that seems like a slight exaggeration to me. I mean, he wasn’t even the worst GM in Lions history.
I think Millen gets that dubious distinction.
i belive that since quinn hired patricia and patricia was the worst head coach in the history of the nfl that prob makes quinn one of the worst gms in history
This should be absolutely no surprise to anyone. Bob Quinn grossly overpaid. The next cut to come is for the also grossly overpaid Vaitai.
jay13 and I have been complaining about that signing for years. Should’ve used that money to re-sign Glasgow.
Detroit is just a place to come and get paid, feign injury, pretend to care, then get the hell out. The veteran revolving door here is just pathetic.