Name: Keith RiversPosition: OLB
Age: 27 (Will be 28 by start of 2014-15 season)
Height: 6'2
Weight: 237 lbs.
College: USC
Drafted: 1st Round, 9th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals
Previous NFL Team: New York Giants
Contract Figures: Signed with the Bills on March 12th, 2014 - 2 Years, $5 Million Total, 2014 Salary TBA
Keith Rivers was a highly touted prospect out of USC. Not only was Rivers 1st-Team All PAC 10 (now the PAC 12) in both 2006 and 2007 but he was also an NCAA All-American in 2007. Rivers was drafted the following April by the Cincinnati Bengals 9th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Keith Rivers was a highly productive player early on his rookie year. That changed in Week 7 of the 2008-2009 NFL season. Rivers was blindsided by Pittsburgh Steeler Hines Ward who broke Rivers' jaw and ended his season. Despite only playing in less than 7 games, Rivers still received a vote for Defensive Rookie of the Year, which ended up being awarded to Jerod Mayo.
Rivers bounced back from his season ending injury in 2008 and played in 28 games over the next two seasons (2009-2010 and 2010-2011) as a Bengal before getting hit by the injury bug yet again. Rivers sustained a wrist injury and missed all of the 2011-2012 season. In April of 2012, Rivers was sent to the New York Giants in exchange for a 5th round pick.
Rivers played in just 11 games in 2012 but all 16 games in 2013 as a Giant before becoming a free agent. Rivers failed to force any turnovers as a Giant but did record a sack in his most recent season in New York.
Internet Rankings:
College: USC
Drafted: 1st Round, 9th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals
Previous NFL Team: New York Giants
Contract Figures: Signed with the Bills on March 12th, 2014 - 2 Years, $5 Million Total, 2014 Salary TBA
Keith Rivers was a highly touted prospect out of USC. Not only was Rivers 1st-Team All PAC 10 (now the PAC 12) in both 2006 and 2007 but he was also an NCAA All-American in 2007. Rivers was drafted the following April by the Cincinnati Bengals 9th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Keith Rivers was a highly productive player early on his rookie year. That changed in Week 7 of the 2008-2009 NFL season. Rivers was blindsided by Pittsburgh Steeler Hines Ward who broke Rivers' jaw and ended his season. Despite only playing in less than 7 games, Rivers still received a vote for Defensive Rookie of the Year, which ended up being awarded to Jerod Mayo.
Rivers bounced back from his season ending injury in 2008 and played in 28 games over the next two seasons (2009-2010 and 2010-2011) as a Bengal before getting hit by the injury bug yet again. Rivers sustained a wrist injury and missed all of the 2011-2012 season. In April of 2012, Rivers was sent to the New York Giants in exchange for a 5th round pick.
Rivers played in just 11 games in 2012 but all 16 games in 2013 as a Giant before becoming a free agent. Rivers failed to force any turnovers as a Giant but did record a sack in his most recent season in New York.
Internet Rankings:
- Rotoworld - 12th OLB
- Walter Football - 14th OLB
- CBS Sports - Not ranked in Top 19 LB's (Arthur Moats was ranked 15th)
- SB Nation - Not ranked in Top 15 LB's (Arthur Moats was ranked 14th)
- Yahoo! - 12th OLB
- Silver Lining Sports - 7th OLB
Role in Buffalo: Rivers will battle with Nigel Bradham for the OLB spot across from Manny Lawson and next to Kiko Alonso.
I like the Keith Rivers signing. It isn't anything that will win us a Superbowl but we have a need at the position and if we fail to upgrade it in the draft, we have a backup plan in Keith Rivers. You read that and you ask yourself, "I can't possibly get excited about a backup plan, can I?" and the answer is, yes you can. It's a low risk, medium reward signing. Rivers is getting paid what I would assume, $2.5 million each year over the next two seasons and for a potential starter, immediate backup, that's not bad.
Rivers isn't a high percentage tackler or a turnover machine (wow that makes him sound useless as a LB) but he's efficient. He's a thick, solid presence who stays in his lanes fairly well who has a successful track record. This guy was one of the premier recruits in the country heading into college. He was a stud in college. It hasn't quite translated to the NFL level. To say he has potential at the age of 27 might be a cop out as a writer but one can only hope that it can click for him now, like it once did.
This move was to replace Arthur Moats and hopefully upgrade the OLB position. The move tells me that Schwartz is genuinely interested in showing a number of 4-3 looks, which I'm not a huge fan of but at least we'll be prepared as Rivers is a typical 4-3 OLB. I think the coaching staff saw that Moats' potential/ceiling may have been reached and they wanted to give similar money to someone that may have some higher upside. I'm fine with it. The Bills h
ad good luck with their two most recent LB acquisitions in Manny Lawson & Jerry Hughes so whoever is evaluating the talent at this position is doing a good job.
Rivers isn't a high percentage tackler or a turnover machine (wow that makes him sound useless as a LB) but he's efficient. He's a thick, solid presence who stays in his lanes fairly well who has a successful track record. This guy was one of the premier recruits in the country heading into college. He was a stud in college. It hasn't quite translated to the NFL level. To say he has potential at the age of 27 might be a cop out as a writer but one can only hope that it can click for him now, like it once did.
This move was to replace Arthur Moats and hopefully upgrade the OLB position. The move tells me that Schwartz is genuinely interested in showing a number of 4-3 looks, which I'm not a huge fan of but at least we'll be prepared as Rivers is a typical 4-3 OLB. I think the coaching staff saw that Moats' potential/ceiling may have been reached and they wanted to give similar money to someone that may have some higher upside. I'm fine with it. The Bills h
ad good luck with their two most recent LB acquisitions in Manny Lawson & Jerry Hughes so whoever is evaluating the talent at this position is doing a good job.
Fun Facts:
- Rivers was allowed to wear #55 at USC which is a prestigious honor at the University, bestowed upon the likes of Junior Seau, Willie McGinest and Chris Clairborne.
- In 2013, former Nickelodeon star Amanda Bynes tweeted that Keith Rivers has herpes. Ladies, if you see him on Chippewa, approach with caution. Just kidding, I'm sure Keith is a lovely guy. Screw Amanda Bynes.
- Rivers was awarded 15+ national awards as a high school LB in the state of Florida which included Gatorade Florida player of the Year. Rivers also participated in the highly touted, star studded, US Army All-American Bowl.
No comments:
Post a Comment