Tampa Bay regarded as potential destination for experienced pass-rusher
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been preparing their roster for another super bowl run ever since star quarterback Tom Brady unretired in March. Over the last two months, the team has made it a point to bring back the majority of its free agents while adding additional talent via free agency, trades, and the draft.
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Old faces like wide receiver Chris Godwin, cornerback Carlton Davis, center Ryan Jensen and running back Leonard Fournette will be paired with new players such as wide receiver Russell Gage, safety Logan Ryan, defensive tackle Logan Hall, and offensive guard Luke Goedeke.
With that being said, the Buccaneers still need to address a few gaps in the roster. One of the obvious spots is in the tight end room with the team still waiting on a decision from Rob Gronkowski, but another is at defensive end.
According to Mike Kaye of Pro Football Network, Tampa Bay is regarded as an ideal landing spot for free agent defensive end/outside linebacker, Trey Flowers. It appears that the team is set to move on from Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh, which means there is an open spot in the rotation.
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“The Buccaneers are seemingly moving on from Jason Pierre-Paul, so adding another veteran pass rusher could help them in their quest to sustain a strong front. Trey Flowers could be used as a rotation player in the Bucs’ front seven, and he probably won’t command much money on a short-term pact.”
“If the Bucs are gearing up for another run, Flowers makes sense as a short-term addition.”
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Interestingly enough, Flowers is a former teammate of Tom Brady. The franchise has brought in multiple players this offseason, namely safety Logan Ryan and offensive guard Shaq Mason, who previously crossed paths with Brady.
Flowers has been limited by a multitude of injuries over the last two years, appearing in just 14 games during that span. He’s ended each of the last two seasons on the injured reserve list and his production tailed off as a result of missing time. Detroit chose to release Flowers, who signed a five-year, $90 million deal to join the franchise in 2019, back in March.
Prior to being hit by the injury bug, he was considered a valuable presence off of the edge. From 2016-19, Flowers recorded 6+ sacks each year, including a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2018 with the New England Patriots.
The Alabama native was drafted by the Patriots and spent his first four seasons in New England, where he played alongside Brady. During that time, the franchise appeared in the super bowl for three straight seasons, winning two championships (2016, 2018). Flowers totaled six tackles and 2.5 sacks in the Patriots’ stunning 25-point comeback victory against the Falcons in 2018.
The 28-year-old has played seven seasons in the NFL for the Patriots and Lions. He’s started in 64 of his 75 appearances, recording 261 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, 31.5 sacks, and ten forced fumbles. Taking into his account age and the fact he’s had proven production at one of the most important positions in the league, this is an option worth exploring for the Buccaneers. They can likely get him on a relatively cheap deal as a chance for Flowers to rebuild his value on the big stage.
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