Report: Commanders have released LG Ereck Flowers

Update: Flowers talks abut being released and what’s next

I don’t think many people saw this one coming. Although many people mentioned the name of Ereck Flowers his offseason when discussing the Commanders’ salary cap, the discussion typically revolved around a contract extension that would reduce the veteran offensive lineman’s $10m cap hit in the final year of his contract.

Instead, it seems that the team has decided to release him.

Flowers has had an interesting history in the NFL in general and with the Washington franchise in particular. It was widely perceived that when the Redskins selected Brandon Scherff with the 5th overall pick in the 2015 draft, the Giants panicked and selected Flowers.

Things never worked out for Ereck Flowers in New York, and he was released before reaching the end of his rookie contract.

Flowers spent a year with the Jaguars, but joined the Redskins in 2019 on a one-year, $3.25m contract in an effort to salvage his career. Washington moved Flowers from tackle to guard, and the player thrived.

At the end of the ‘19 season, Washington tried to retain him, but he left for Miami in free agency, signing a 3-year contract with the Dolphins in 2020.

Amazingly, the Dolphins traded Flowers back to Washington last year in a swap of 7th rounders, with the Dolphins paying all but $3m of his 2021 salary.

Flowers was a consistent performer for Washington, though his $10m cap hit for the coming season would have been the 6th highest on the team’s roster. Nonetheless, the decision to move on from him caught most observers and fans a bit flat-footed.

Updated depth chart