Most of the free agency talk in New England is built around one player: Patriots defensive edge Trey Flowers, who will hit the open market next week after the club opted not to place the $17.128 million franchise tag on the 25-year old. While flying relatively under the radar for most of his career, Flowers is expected to generate a considerable interest and will reportedly get a deal worth around $14 million to $17 million annually.
One reason for this is the position he plays: in today’s NFL, edge rushers like the former fourth-round draft pick are among the hottest commodities a team can invest him — especially when a) they are coming from the Super Bowl champions, b) they have a proven track record of production, and c) the market has dried up a bit due to other clubs using the franchise tag to keep their own talent.