Keith Rivers Joins Questionable Bengals LB Corps

So, it was a linebacker -- Keith Rivers from USC. Hard to argue with any blue-chip caliber pick who can help the front seven on defense.

He goes into camp competing for playing time against these other linebackers on the Bengals roster:

Darryl Blackstock (free agent from Arizona), Ahmad Brooks, Eric Henderson, Rashad Jeanty, Brandon Johnson, Dhani Jones, Roy Manning, Jim Maxwell, Corey Mays, David Pollack and Anthony Schlegel.

It's not a star-studded cast by any means, so Rivers has the potential to come in and be a starter, if not a standout. If the season started tomorrow, you'd guess that Brooks would start in the middle, with Jones and Jeanty on the outside.

Next for the Bengals? Spot has always believed in the "take the best player available" concept, regardless of position. You can reach for someone to fill what you perceive is a need, but if your scouting is doing its job, you'll build quality depth by taking the best available player, regardless of position.