The New England Patriots played host to a number of free agents Thursday.
New England played host to outside free agents Taylor Rapp, Andrew Van Ginkel, Bisi Johnson and Chris Board, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. It also welcomed back a familiar face.
Trey Flowers, anybody?
Flowers, who won two Super Bowls in his four seasons with the franchise from 2015-2018, reportedly was one of the many visits to take place Thursday at Gillette Stadium. After a successful stint with the Patriots, which saw him rack up 26.5 sacks across 54 games following an injury-filled rookie season, Flowers cashed in with a big-money deal from former Patriots defensive coordinator and then-Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia.
Flowers’ initial season with Detroit was solid, but injuries plagued him over the next two before he was ultimately released. He then signed with the Miami Dolphins prior to the 2022-23 season after flirting with a Patriots reunion, but only played in four games before hitting injured reserve.
The Patriots could use some added depth across the front lines, specifically when it comes to their interior pass rush. Lawrence Guy and Davon Godchaux are early-down players, and while Christian Barmore has been solid when on the field, he has struggled to stay healthy.
Bringing back a familiar face on a short-money deal may be exactly what the doctor Bill Belichick ordered for the Patriots defense in 2023.
