Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker
Cincinnati Bengals rookie linebacker Keith Rivers considers himself a physical player, and he's come to the right place to prove it.
The AFC North is one of the most physical divisions in football. This season Rivers will knock heads with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, who have always been smash-mouth teams. And now the Cleveland Browns have adopted that style with the addition of tailback Jamal Lewis in 2007.
"I'm excited and looking forward to it," Rivers said of playing against those offenses. "That's the pro game. It's very physical, especially in this division."
Rivers, the No. 9 overall pick, has been impressive in minicamp and organized team activities this spring. He's expected to be the starting outside linebacker for the Bengals.
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