One of the New England Patriots’ few remaining free agents is returning to Foxboro.
Linebacker Marquis Flowers has re-signed with the team on a one-year, $2.55 million contract, according to his agent, Sean Stellato.
In the months following his trade from the Cincinnati Bengals last August, Flowers transitioned from core special teamer to important defensive contributor for New England. His best game of the season came in a Week 16 win over the Buffalo Bills, during which he racked up 10 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks.
After hardly seeing the field at linebacker during the first half of the season, Flowers played 40-plus percent of defensive snaps in five of the Patriots’ final seven regular-season games. He also played a key role in shutting down Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota in the divisional round, playing 66 percent of snaps in that game and tallying one sack.
Linebacker was a position the Patriots had yet to address since NFL free agency opened last Wednesday. Their depth chart at the position now consists of Flowers, Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts, Harvey Langi and Nicholas Grigsby
James Harrison, who finished the season with the Patriots after being released by the Pittsburgh Steelers, remains unsigned and reportedly has expressed interest in returning to New England.
The Patriots have re-signed several special teamers this offseason, bringing back Flowers, Matthew Slater, Nate Ebner, Brandon Bolden and Brandon King while also swinging a trade for former Oakland Raiders wide receiver/kick returner/punt gunner Cordarrelle Patterson.
