Trey Flowers signs with Patriots: Veteran DE on PUP list after returning to former team

Trey Flowers will begin his second stint with the New England Patriots on the physically unable to perform list, according to the NFL’s transaction list. The move comes hours after the organization made it official by re-signing the veteran defensive end.

“Addition to the list – we added Trey,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s training camp session. “We’ll see how that unfolds. He won’t be practicing right away, so I think that’s kind of where we are here.”

Flowers, who turns 30 in August, could start practicing at any time during New England’s preseason. The two-time Super Bowl champion and franchise All-Decade pick played in four games for the Miami Dolphins last fall before a foot injury landed him on injured reserve.

“He hasn’t played in a while, got hurt in September of last year,” Belichick added. “So, yeah, we’ll see.”

Since entering the league in the fourth round of the 2015 draft, Flowers has been a starter in 64 of his 79 regular-season games. Including the playoffs, the Arkansas product has 37 career sacks to go along with 10 forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.

The Detroit Lions signed Flowers to a five-year, $90 million contract at the start of the 2019 league year. He was waived last offseason after finishing 2020 and 2021 on injured reserve.

New England hosted Flowers on a visit in March. The 6-foot-4, 265-pound free agent visited Gillette Stadium again for a workout Monday on his way to a spot on the 90-man roster.

“I haven’t seen Trey in a few years,” Belichick said, “but he’s a hard-working guy, loves soccer, competes well, is a smart player.”