Trey Flowers question. One of my favorite players coming out of college, I was thrilled and shocked when the Pats were able to acquire him in the 4th round. Also, as you’ve stated, he’s flashed in the preseason. Where do you think he projects in the Pats front seven? Out of the 53 man roster… 17 are defensive front 7 players. There are only so many snaps. In which positions, rotations, and situations do you believe the Pats will use Flowers going forward? He has Nink like versatility.

I think he’s clearly an edge player in the Pats current defensive scheme in the mold of Chandler/Nink/Sheard, and it’s the presence of those three why they can bring him along slowly. This position is a hybrid of a 4-3 DE and 3-4 OLB in that they will have some coverage drops at times, but primarily their job is to set the edge and then have a smart pass rush.

Flowers seems to really have the strength and aggression to fit this role perfectly, and it’s certainly not an easy position to play, especially because they’re criticized on the same level as DEs in a “pin your ears back and go get the passer’ system. The Pats are a lot more complicated than that and right now they can afford to bring him along slowly.

But I think it’s only a matter of time before he gets worked in as a 3rd down pass rusher, a trial role we’ve already seen Geneo Grissom and Rufus Johnson in this season. 

After the preseason I still feel like Flowers has the highest ceiling of all three. I’m excited to see him get in there. Honestly, they might just be holding him back and waiting to spring him on the Colts.