The New York Giants wont the Super Bowl last season. They won it for a variety of reasons, but linebacking wasn’t one of them. They’ve been deficient at the position really since Antonio Pierce used to be good.
Well, it looks like they are attempting to improve themselves there, as a source tells the Newark Star-Ledger that the Giants are close to a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals for LB Keith Rivers.
“It’s going to happen,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
While the Giants could benefit from his upside, he hasn’t shown that he has a lot of it so far in his young career. He was taken ninth overall back in 2008, but has been banged up pretty good since then. He also has two career sacks, but luckily the Giants get plenty of those from their front four, so they won’t need him there.
It’s still unclear what Rivers’ role would be. The Giants already have Michael Boley on the weakside, where Rivers has played most of his career. Maybe they’d like to try Boley in the middle? Rivers in the middle? The Giants didn’t run many base defenses last year, so maybe they’ll just continue to mix it up.
UPDATE: The Giants have sent a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft to the Bengals for Rivers.