The Detroit Lions could be looking to clean the slate during the upcoming offseason. But what's old might become new again if the Lions explore a reunion with recently released cornerback Tre Flowers, who signed with the team's practice squad in September and appeared in two games before being released.
Per Pittsburgh Steelers on SI's Jacob Punturi, "After just two weeks with the Steelers, Flowers was released by the organization. The move comes after wide receiver DK Metcalf was reinstated from his two-game suspension."
"Flowers was insurance on defense for the Steelers. With his release, it signals that the secondary is finally back to a healthy place," Punturi added.
Flowers appeared in one game for the Steelers, against the Cleveland Browns in December, playing two special team snaps. Now, he'll be looking for a fresh start.
Flowers is on the wrong side of 30 and has been on five teams in the last two years. He hasn't been a starting-caliber corner since the 2020 season, frequently letting receivers behind him and mistiming jumps, but has been a solid special teams hand for seven teams since.
Why not give it another go, since he's already played under Dave Fipp in Detroit?
Lions Could Give Tre Flowers a Chance to Revive His Career
It's possible that Flowers never plays another NFL snap again. At the same time, players and certain teams just aren't a good match, and a change of scenery could do a world of good. Perhaps that's why Lions general manager Brad Holmes should consider opening the door for a Motor City reunion this offseason.
Holmes is fighting for his career in Detroit, so the best thing he can do is convince players in similar positions like Flowers to give it their all and buy into a culture that produced two playoff appearances in the past three years under head coach Dan Campbell.
Situations often dictate results. Flowers hasn't been a passable corner in half a decade, having given up 13 receptions on 17 targets (76.5%) in 132 snaps in coverage in the last three seasons. When deployed in special teams, he's had moments here and there over the years, including helping in punt coverage and kickoff blocking. Surely, Campbell can find him a role, even if it's not the biggest.
A low-risk, 'prove-yourself' contract isn't the worst idea. The Lions' secondary, between injuries and inconsistent play, had a lot of problems this season, meaning there's nothing to lose by seeing if Flowers can bounce back. If it works out, Detroit has a steal of a contract. If not, there's nothing loss and Holmes can release the veteran CB.
No one is expecting him to dial back the clock to his dominant days in Stillwater, OK, with the Oklahoma State Cowboys. However, giving Flowers one more chance may pay dividends if he can maximize what he has left in his career in a familiar city.