Multiple league sources believe that agent David Dunn is deliberately dragging his feet regarding negotiations with the Bengals for linebacker Keith Rivers, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2008 draft, until the Jaguars sign defensive end Derrick Harvey, the No. 8 overall pick.

Opined one source, “They are worrying about what [Tom] Condon is doing one slot ahead of them — they are worried about next year’s recruiting, not the best interests of the kid.”

Harvey is represented by CAA, which consists of agents Tom Condon, Ben Dogra, and Ken Kremer.

The floor for Rivers has been set, given the the Pats signed linebacker Jerod Mayo, the No. 10 overall pick, more than a week ago.  The fact that both Rivers and Mayo are linebackers makes the Mayo deal even more comparable.

The fear apparently is that, if Condon does a deal that represents a moderate upgrade over Mayo, Harvey’s deal eventually will come in at a much higher value, giving Condon, Dogra, and Kremer a valuable tool for luring college players who might be leaning toward Dunn in the looming rush for next year’s draft picks.

The only problem?  It’s potentially hurting Rivers.  ”The kid is missing valuable time to serve their own best and selfish interests,” the source said.

Though Condon is the good guy in this story, his protracted holdout in 2007 of Browns quarterback Brady Quinn resulted in Quinn losing a shot at replacing Charlie Frye early in Quinn’s rookie season, allowing Derek Anderson to establish a stranglehold on the job and making it much harder for Quinn to ever earn incentives based on his status as the starter.