The Pittsburgh Steelers have added veteran depth to their injury-ravaged secondary, signing cornerback Tre Flowers ahead of Sunday’s AFC North showdown against the Cleveland Browns.

Flowers, 30, is an eight-year NFL veteran who most recently played for the Detroit Lions earlier this season. He appeared in two games before being released on December 1.

Tre Flowers NFL Career Overview

Originally selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma State, Flowers has built an extensive résumé across multiple teams:

Seahawks (2018–2021)

Bengals (2021–2022)

Falcons (2023)

Jaguars (2024)

Colts (2024)

Lions (2025)

Across 97 career games (44 starts), Flowers has recorded:

287 tackles

4 interceptions

5 fumble recoveries

2 sacks

He last saw action in Detroit’s Week 7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Steelers Secondary Hit Hard by Injuries

Pittsburgh enters Week 17 dealing with multiple injuries in the defensive backfield. Cornerbacks Brandin Echols (groin) and James Pierre (calf) have been ruled out, forcing the Steelers to lean heavily on Asante Samuel Jr. and Joey Porter Jr. as starters.

With the team sitting at 9–6, Flowers is expected to see immediate playing time as the Steelers look to secure the AFC North title.

Despite recent success, Pittsburgh’s pass defense has struggled statistically:

30th in passing yards allowed (249.3 per game)

28th in total yards allowed

Still, the Steelers have won three straight games, opening a commanding lead over the Baltimore Ravens in the division race.

Tre Flowers Reacts to Steelers Signing

Flowers revealed the signing came unexpectedly on Christmas Eve, while he was at home in Texas with his family.

“I told my family, ‘Pack your bags,’” Flowers said. “I got to spend Christmas with my kids, and now I’m here. It’s a blessing.”

Best Years Came With Seattle

Flowers enjoyed his most consistent production with the Seattle Seahawks, starting 40 of 47 games across four seasons. He posted career highs in 2021, recording:

3 interceptions

2 sacks

His only other interception came in 2022 with the Bengals.