Soon-to-be free agent defensive end Trey Flowers is recovering from minor offseason shoulder surgery, according to a report Sunday from ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Sources told Reiss the surgery is “not considered serious” and “was described as more of a cleanup.” That description suggests the procedure won’t have much of an impact on Flowers’ free agent interest, which is expected to be considerable.
Flowers, who turns 26 in August, will be one of the top pass rushers available once free agency opens March 13. He’s led the New England Patriots in sacks, quarterback hits and tackles for loss in each of his three full seasons.
During the 2018 campaign, Flowers tallied a career-high 7 1/2 sacks in 15 games to go along with 20 QB hits and seven tackles for loss. He added two more sacks and six additional QB hits during the Patriots’ playoff run — which culminated in a 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII — and finished the year as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-highest-graded edge rusher.
A shoulder injury cut short Flowers’ rookie season in 2015, but he’s played in 54 of a possible 57 games since then. The only game he missed this season was due to a concussion.Â
One report this week suggested the Miami Dolphins, who last month hired former Patriots defensive play-caller Brian Flores as their head coach, are the “front-runners” to sign Flowers.Â
