New England Patriots rookie EDGE Derek Rivers tore his ACL during preseason joint practices against the Houston Texans. Rivers was expected to have a strong role in the New England defensive front that was looking to replace Rob Ninkovich, Chris Long, and Jabaal Sheard.
According to MassLive’s Kevin Duffy, Rivers has started on his road to recovery and “underwent knee surgery Tuesday morning.” Rivers likely needed to have some swelling disappear before the surgery and Duffy notes that “players will engage in ‘prehab’ to build strength in the injured leg and maximize range of motion before undergoing surgery.”
Rivers should be ready to return for his sophomore year, although he might not be able to fully contribute during spring practices. Hopefully he’ll be ready to play in next year’s preseason and become the contributor the team needs on defense. Best of luck in your recovery!