NFL free agency 2023: Patriots reportedly host two-time Super Bowl champion Trey Flowers

Among the free agents visiting Gillette Stadium on Thursday was a familiar face.

The New England Patriots hosted defensive end Trey Flowers, as first reported by NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo.

Flowers, 29, had landed with the organization in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft. Pick No. 101 overall went on to earn two Super Bowl rings during his tenure, which included 164 tackles and 21 sacks, a handful of forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries in the regular season.

He tacked on 39 tackles and 5.5 sacks through nine starts in the postseason en route to a place on the latest Patriots All-Decade team.

In 2019, the Detroit Lions signed Flowers to a five-year, $90 million contract during Matt Patricia’s time as head coach and Bob Quinn’s time as general manager. After consecutive campaigns ended on injured reserve, the Arkansas product was released last March.

He signed with the Miami Dolphins at the end of August and saw 65 defensive snaps through four appearances before returning to injured reserve for the remainder of 2022.

In addition to the 6-foot-2, 265-pound Flowers, New England also reportedly visited with wide receiver Olabisi Johnson, safety Taylor Rapp and linebackers Andrew Van Ginkel and Chris Board on the second day of the new league year.