Conflict Between Bengals and LB Keith Rivers Prompt Trade?

Dan Pompei of the National Football Post writes that the Bengals and LB Keith Rivers had a dispute about Rivers’ timing of wrist surgery during last seasons NFL lockout.

“The Bengals thought he could have had it earlier in the offseason,” Pompei wrote.  Rivers had the surgery toward the end of the lockout and the team placed him on the non football injury list which did not allow him to collect his salary during the time he missed.

Of course Rivers wanted to be placed on the unable to perform list which would have allowed him to receive his salary from the Bengals.  This led him to file “a grievance against the team,” and as Pompei mentions this led to some “hard feelings.”  Both sides afterwards seemed to feel that a “fresh start was in order” which prompted the trade to the Giants.

The Bengals have had issues with players recently such as QB Carson Palmer and WR Chad Ochocinco, but it seems if they have learned from those situations by trading those players away.  However, the Giants were able to acquire a capable starting linebacker for a fifth-rounnd pick.