Keith Rivers (1 Viewer)

[MAC_32]

The guy was just a marginal play maker in school with a dominant line in front of him creating tons of space for him to make plays. What's going to happen when he takes the field for Cincy and he's playing behind one of the leagues worst defensive lines? He's going to be swallowed up and perform ineffectively. It's not his fault he was valued as a top 10 pick by the Bungles, but he's not one. He's nowhere near the same class as Willis, Ryans, Sims, etc. I believe he was drafted as early as he was in large part because early round LB rookies have performed incredibly well in recent years. The NFL being a copy cat league, Cincy followed suit.

Now go ahead and tell me why I'm wrong, think this may be a good early pre-draft season discussion...

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

I tend to agree. Great kid, great physical attributes, but not a natural playmaker. He can still get a ton of tackles, so I have him in the top IDP tier, but not ahead of the playmakers.

 

[alg]

I tend to agree. Great kid, great physical attributes, but not a natural playmaker. He can still get a ton of tackles, so I have him in the top IDP tier, but not ahead of the playmakers.

I think people tend to get wraped up on off-the-chart physical skills. A few years ago Ryans was nearly an afterthought in most drafts. Ryans was not yet RYANS. But I see Rivers as another Ryans for the same reason I scoped up Ryans himself. Leadership, maturity and instincts, along with the lack of unusal speed etc, will cause the Bengles to put him in the middle. And for him to be an unusually productive IDPer.MLB requires more leadership and instincts, and less 'wow' than the outside guys that tend to get picked earlier. And who tend to underperform in IDP. I think your negatives are the very reason he will be the next Ryans.

 

[Rozelle]

I'm with ya MAC_32

As of right now, I think Rivers may be the top scoring rookie LB ... this year, for the simple fact he is in the best/safest situation to see the most amount playing time. I'm not a fan of Rivers, no real good reason for it, just a gut feeling. I think Rivers is going to be a good player, just not a great one, which could some day have him playing Sam.

From a dynasty perspective, there's 4-5 other LB's I'd rather have.

 

[BearsFan]

Problem for those with marginal skills is that there's always a possibility of somebody with better skills coming along later and taking their spot.

 

[Young 8]

why people assuming that he will play MLB ??

i mean....are Thurman & Brooks disappeared in the last few hours ???

 

[Jene Bramel]

why people assuming that he will play MLB ??i mean....are Thurman & Brooks disappeared in the last few hours ???

Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com raised the possibility immediately after the draft, saying that the buzz was that Rivers would play the middle. Every other beat writer has speculated that Rivers will play outside.It's impossible to know what this team is thinking until we see it on the field. I still think, based on what they've said about Thurman and Brooks at different points during their careers that it's most likely to be Brooks LOLB/Thurman MLB/Rivers ROLB if they all play with Brooks sitting in the nickel.With luck, someone will report something other than Chad Johnson and TJ holding out during minicamps. I don't know that we'll learn much during the rookie only minicamp this month.

 

[obxlegends]

why people assuming that he will play MLB ??i mean....are Thurman & Brooks disappeared in the last few hours ???

Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com raised the possibility immediately after the draft, saying that the buzz was that Rivers would play the middle. Every other beat writer has speculated that Rivers will play outside.It's impossible to know what this team is thinking until we see it on the field. I still think, based on what they've said about Thurman and Brooks at different points during their careers that it's most likely to be Brooks LOLB/Thurman MLB/Rivers ROLB if they all play with Brooks sitting in the nickel.With luck, someone will report something other than Chad Johnson and TJ holding out during minicamps. I don't know that we'll learn much during the rookie only minicamp this month.

Brooks just punched some lady in the face. So we'll see how much this changes things. Especially if they're as quick to react to this as they were with Henry.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Rivers starts off at WLB, but is "learning" the middle.

The Bengals started things off Friday by putting him at weakside linebacker, his college position. But it's all very early and fluid.

"Right now, that's how he best fits our scheme," said linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald.

That could mean Brooks moves to the strong side and Dhani Jones goes to the middle, since he's going to be the guy presumably calling the plays.

But it's early. Rivers said he's also studying the middle.

 

[BearsFan]

Rivers starts off at WLB, but is "learning" the middle.

The Bengals started things off Friday by putting him at weakside linebacker, his college position. But it's all very early and fluid.

"Right now, that's how he best fits our scheme," said linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald.

That could mean Brooks moves to the strong side and Dhani Jones goes to the middle, since he's going to be the guy presumably calling the plays.

But it's early. Rivers said he's also studying the middle.

Dhani Jones in the middle 'cause he's going to call plays? He can do that from the sideline!Any word on who actually "started things off" by lining up at SLB? ...or was Brooks even there?

Where's O'Dell Thurman?

 

[Jene Bramel]

Rivers starts off at WLB, but is "learning" the middle.

The Bengals started things off Friday by putting him at weakside linebacker, his college position. But it's all very early and fluid.

"Right now, that's how he best fits our scheme," said linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald.

That could mean Brooks moves to the strong side and Dhani Jones goes to the middle, since he's going to be the guy presumably calling the plays.

But it's early. Rivers said he's also studying the middle.

Dhani Jones in the middle 'cause he's going to call plays? He can do that from the sideline!Any word on who actually "started things off" by lining up at SLB? ...or was Brooks even there?

Where's O'Dell Thurman?

It's a rookies-only minicamp. The Bengals full squad mini-camp is the second weekend in June.

 

[Rushmore]

Rivers starts off at WLB, but is "learning" the middle.

The Bengals started things off Friday by putting him at weakside linebacker, his college position. But it's all very early and fluid.

"Right now, that's how he best fits our scheme," said linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald.

That could mean Brooks moves to the strong side and Dhani Jones goes to the middle, since he's going to be the guy presumably calling the plays.

But it's early. Rivers said he's also studying the middle.

Dhani Jones in the middle 'cause he's going to call plays? He can do that from the sideline!Any word on who actually "started things off" by lining up at SLB? ...or was Brooks even there?

Where's O'Dell Thurman?

Even when TC starts I would think they will make Odell Thurman earn his spot. I doubt he'll be handed a starting job immediately like that .