2008 VMA nominations
Celebrity Watch photos
.jpg)
Republican National Convention
Get latest headlines via RSS feeds
NewsVine
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Furl
Reddit
StumbleuponBengals sign No. 1 draft choice
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said he knew where Keith Rivers was staying and the prized rookie could get here in a hurry — that he was a phone call away.
The call came Tuesday night, Aug. 5.
Rivers, the Bengals' top pick in the NFL draft, wheeled into the driveway at Georgetown College at 9:16 p.m. to sign a contract and end his 10-day holdout.
The 6-foot-2, 241-pound outside linebacker from Southern Cal — demoted to second string behind Brandon Johnson — is expected on the practice field at 9 a.m. today.
"We're confirming the signing," Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan said at 10:52 p.m. Tuesday.
Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn hoped for an agreement much sooner only to run into several barriers.
But negotiations escalated all day, and she finally hammered out the contract with agent David Dunn, who also represents Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer.
Rivers missed 10 days and 12 practices, including the intrasquad scrimmage and mock game.
"When you take a guy as your No. 1 pick, you know he's going to come in and help you immediately, and it's a little frustrating when you don't have him," linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald said. "We can get him schooled up on everything, but it's this time, right now, that he's not with his teammates is what he's missing.
"Going through the things that they're going through helps bond our football team."
Cornerback Jerrid Gaines (Springfield South High School and Miami University) re-signed with the team after fullback Tyler Whaley and cornerback Jonathan Zenon were waived.
That left the roster at 79 with room for one more — Rivers.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com
