Keith Rivers has been traded from the Cincinnati Bengals to the New York Giants in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. The trade had been rumored throughout the day Wednesday and apparently came to fruition sometime in the afternoon. Terms of the deal have not been finalized, but it appears that Rivers won't immediately be signed to a contract extension, making him an unrestricted free agent following the 2012 season.
The Bengals picked up Manny Lawson and Thomas Howard in the offseason, making Rivers expendable for the right price. Rivers was the No. 9 overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft. He has 186 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble in three seasons with Cincinnati. Rivers spent the past season on the sidelines with a wrist injury, and has yet to play a full 16-game slate.
In other roster news, the Giants officially announced the signing of reserve offensive lineman Sean Locklear. The tackle spent 2011 with the Washington Redskins, where he appeared in eight games with four starts. Locklear was originally drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2004 and has appeared in 105 regular season games with 82 starts.