San Francisco 49ers: Big names to avoid during 2019 NFL free agency

Trey Flowers, DE, New England Patriots

I’ve never quite understood all of the hype that Trey Flowers gets. That’s not to say he isn’t a quality, productive defensive end capable of making an impact. However, the hype surrounding the New England Patriots’ 2015 fourth-round pick is a bit excessive.

Seriously, people have mentioned him as being up there with some of the other top edge rushers scheduled to be available this offseason. I’m pretty sure if you had your choice between Flowers, Jadeveon Clowney, Demarcus Lawrence or Frank Clark, the first name wouldn’t even be a consideration. There are so many better options set to be available.

And yet, you just know Flowers is going to get paid way too much this offseason.

For what? During the three seasons he’s played a prominent role for the Patriots, he hasn’t amassed more than 7.5 sacks. Yes, he creates pressure, racks up a handful of sacks and is solid against the run. That’s awesome but it certainly doesn’t warrant the type of payday he’s about to receive come March.

Is Flowers a good defensive end? Yes. Is he going to be any bit worth the amount of money that’s about to be thrown at him? Probably not. The 49ers are better off trying to land a top edge rusher with the No. 2 overall pick. Let another team make the mistake of paying Flowers as if he’s an elite talent.