FOXBORO, Mass. — It would be tough to find a better example for New England Patriots rookie pass rushers Derek Rivers and Deatrich Wise to follow than that of Trey Flowers.
Flowers regularly is one of the last players to come off the practice field as he works on his already exceptional technique on tackling dummies. He wasn’t alone Tuesday as Rivers, Wise and fellow Patriots defensive linemen Malcom Brown, Vincent Valentine, Darius Kilgo, Adam Butler and Woodrow Hamilton also stayed late.
“His technique is best in the — he’s one of the best, man,” Rivers said Tuesday. “Just watching him on film, he’s awesome. Awesome dude, nice guy. Definitely somebody I could go to, ask questions. I know me, Deatrich, the other rookies, we can go to him with anything.”
Technique is a fairly vague term, so Rivers was asked to expound on what he sees from his teammate.
“I watch everything, how he defends the run, just how precise his hands are, how his hands — how accurate they are in his pass rush, how he gets his hips around,” Rivers said. “Just every little thing that helps you get to the QB or helps you make plays.”
Flowers led the Patriots with seven sacks, all of which came in the last nine games, in 2016. He added 2.5 more sacks in Super Bowl LI and is primed for a potential breakout season as the Patriots’ edge defender.
If any of that success can rub off on Rivers and Wise, then the Patriots could have a suddenly intimidating pass rush in 2017.
Thumbnail photo via NESN
