Derek Rivers’ first NFL road trip has been cut short.
According to multiple reports Wednesday night, New England Patriots rookie defensive end was sent home from White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., after suffering an apparent knee/leg injury during Wednesday’s joint practice with the Houston Texans.
Offensive tackle LaAdrian Waddle, who was injured during Tuesday’s joint practice, also caught an early flight back to Foxboro.
Mike Giardi of CSNNE was the first to report Rivers’ and Waddle’s premature departures from The Greenbrier resort, the Texans’ training camp home. Both players will undergo MRIs upon returning to New England, according to the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe.
Rivers was the Patriots’ top pick in the 2017 NFL Draft (83rd overall) and had shown improvement in practice of late. Howe reported earlier Wednesday the Patriots were “optimistic” that Rivers’ injury is not serious.
Waddle, a fifth-year pro, is looking to secure a roster spot after playing just one offensive snap all of last season. He’s competing with the likes of Cameron Fleming and rookies Tony Garcia, Conor McDermott, Cole Croston and Max Rich for a backup spot behind starting tackles Nate Solder and Marcus Cannon.
The Patriots are scheduled to hold a team walkthrough at The Greenbrier on Wednesday before traveling to Houston for their preseason matchup with the Texans on Saturday night.
Thumbnail photo via Trevor Ruszkowski/USA TODAY Sports Images
