The Carolina Panthers will need to address their lack of depth at defensive end this offseason and the New England Patriots’ Trey Flowers could be the answer. Julius Peppers recently broke the news that he’s retiring, leaving the team with Mario Addison as the only reliable starter. Addison had nine sacks last season and Peppers had five. Overall, the Panthers ranked No. 27 in sacks last season with 35.
Meanwhile, Flowers has been a standout player for New England and recorded a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2018. Here’s how he fits as a potential free agent target.
Career Stats:
| Games | Tackles | Sacks | TFL | FF | QB Hits |
| 46 | 121 (solo) | 26.5 | 33 | 5 | 81 |
Pros:
There are many pros when it comes to Flowers. A few of them include his high motor, leadership skills and postseason experience. He totaled two sacks, three tackles for loss and six quarterback hits in last season’s playoff run alone. He finished the regular season with an 89.7 overall Pro Football Focus rating. Although he isn’t the most vocal player on the team, he has led by example and helped younger Patriots linemen improve their game. The combination of Flowers and Addison coming off the edge would definitely be an issue for opposing quarterbacks.
Cons:
Flowers is on the rise as one of the most explosive defensive ends in the league, and that will cause an issue with his price tag. He will come at a hefty price and will be put in a situation where he has a lot more responsibility on his shoulders. Also, many players who have left the Patriots end up falling short of expectations.
Probability: Low
This move could change the dynamic of Carolina’s defensive line, but a lot of things would have to happen. To begin with, Flowers would have to leave the team that brought him three consecutive Super Bowl appearances. He would likely only leave the Patriots for financial reasons and cap space is one thing the Panthers don’t have much of.
