Report: Patriots won’t use franchise tag for 2019

The New England Patriots will not use the franchise tag, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Field Yates. The team’s three most likely candidates to receive the tag were defensive end Trey Flowers, tackle Trent Brown and kick Stephen Gostkowski.

The New England Patriots, with three notable free agents – DE Trey Flowers, OT Trent Brown & K Stephen Gostkowski – are not planning to use franchise tag on any of them, sources tell @FieldYates and me. Barring last-minute change, the three are now scheduled to hit open market.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 5, 2019

Brown would have earned $14.067 million on the franchise tag, Flowers would have been due $17.128 million and Gostkowski would have made $4.971 million.

Brown started at left tackle for the team’s entire regular season and postseason after the team acquired him in a trade during the 2018 offseason. Flowers, a draft selection in 2015, was the team’s leading sacker (7.5) while playing a major role on the defensive line in New England’s Super Bowl run. Gostkowski has been the team’s kicker since 2006 when he replaced Adam Vinatieri.