Defensive end Trey Flowers has agreed to terms on a five-year deal with the Lions, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
It reunites Flowers with Matt Patricia, formerly the defensive coordinator in New England and now the Lions’ head coach.
The Lions had a need at the position with Ziggy Ansah a free agent. Detroit used the franchise tag on Ansah last year, and he played in only seven games with four sacks.
Flowers became one of the top free agents when the Patriots chose not to franchise him, trading for Michael Bennett instead. Flowers ranks third on PFT’s list of top-100 free agents, the top available free agent with DeMarcus Lawrence and Jadeveon Clowney having received the franchise tag from their teams.
Flowers, 25, has had 164 tackles, 21 sacks and five forced fumbles the past three seasons.
In three postseason games this year, he had six tackles, two sacks and six quarterback hits.