In the lead-up to New England Patriots training camp, with the first public practice scheduled for July 26, it is timely to review each position on the roster with our annual "roster locks" series. After highlighting the running backs and wide receivers, let's move on to the defensive ends:
Explaining the locks: Flowers, who led the Patriots with 6.5 sacks last season, enters the final year of his rookie contract. He is the No. 1 option on the depth chart, followed by the 30-year-old Clayborn, who was the team's highest-priced free-agent signing with a two-year deal that has a base value of $10 million.