{"id":68876,"date":"2019-07-22T05:52:38","date_gmt":"2019-07-22T09:52:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnfl.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=68876"},"modified":"2021-05-30T20:55:50","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T00:55:50","slug":"derek-rivers-new-england-patriots-training-camp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2019\/07\/22\/derek-rivers-new-england-patriots-training-camp\/","title":{"rendered":"Derek Rivers Facing Make or Break Training Camp With New England Patriots"},"content":{"rendered":"

The New England Patriots<\/a> begin training camp on Thursday, and nobody needs a big performance more than edge defender Derek Rivers<\/a><\/strong>. Rivers was New England\u2019s first pick in the 2017 NFL Draft but hasn\u2019t started his career on the highest of notes. The former third-round pick has only played 78 snaps through his first two years and could be out of a job if he doesn\u2019t break out this summer.<\/p>\n

Derek Rivers Entering Make or Break Training Camp<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Derek Rivers has not had an easy NFL journey to date. The 2017 Patriots needed help on the edge after losing Chris Long<\/a><\/strong> and Rob Ninkovich<\/a><\/strong> in the previous off-season. Rivers looked ready to compete, as the Youngstown State product reportedly looked good in training camp. However, Rivers tore his ACL early in the preseason, ending his rookie year before it ever began.<\/p>\n

Not only did Rivers miss a year of playing time, but he also missed a year of NFL development. The transition from college to the NFL is daunting enough, and Rivers had to deal with that while simultaneously rehabbing from a devastating knee injury. He was understandably playing catch up for the majority of 2018 and spent most of the year on the bench or as a healthy scratch. In total, Rivers played in six games and recorded two tackles, one sack, and one tackle-for-loss.<\/p>\n

This obviously isn\u2019t what you want from a former top-85 pick, but Rivers still has time to turn it around. However, the clock\u2019s ticking, and Rivers needs to do something to show that he\u2019s still worthy of a roster spot.<\/p>\n

Reasons to Believe in Rivers<\/h3>\n

Derek Rivers is down, but he\u2019s not out. Even though he didn\u2019t do much in 2018, there are plenty of reasons to believe in his NFL future. For one, Bill Belichick<\/strong> still believes there\u2019s a great player in there. Back in December, Belichick acknowledged that Rivers has been in a tough situation and said that \u201che\u2019s got a good future.<\/a>\u201d The 2018 Patriots had solid edge depth and fantastic injury luck, so Rivers simply never had the opportunity to see the field. With Trey Flowers<\/a><\/strong> in Detroit, Adrian Clayborn<\/a><\/strong> in Atlanta, and Deatrich Wise<\/a><\/strong> on the PUP, Rivers should have every opportunity to earn playing time in 2019.<\/p>\n

Additionally, Derek Rivers is a physical freak. According to MockDraftable<\/a>, Rivers tested in the 88th<\/sup> percentile for the bench press, 93rd<\/sup> percentile for the 40-yard dash, and the 90th<\/sup> percentile for the 3-cone drill. Going solely off the measurables, Rivers\u2019 closest NFL comparison is Washington Redskins defensive end Ryan Kerrigan<\/a><\/strong>. It obviously takes more than just athleticism to succeed in the NFL, but being a great athlete doesn\u2019t hurt.<\/p>\n

Rivers was more than just a workout warrior at the college level. During his final year with Youngstown State, Rivers recorded 58 tackles, 14 sacks, and one forced fumble. This is obviously great production, even if it didn\u2019t come against the greatest of competition.<\/p>\n

Trey Flowers may be gone, but the Patriots brought in Michael Bennett<\/a><\/strong> to effectively replace him in the lineup. The Patriots don\u2019t need Rivers to be a star, they just need a solid role player. Rivers has the athletic prowess for the job and the trust of the coaching staff. All he has to do is prove that he belongs in the NFL over the course of the next month.<\/p>\n

Main photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>