Givens Signs with Browns Already ?

[Sean Pa Patriot]

A 7th round draft pick to the first free agent signed... He worked his way to the top, and hope he does well, but not too well...

 

[tailgater]

To those who think he's an average #2, or easy to replace, I hope you're right and I'm wrong.

Not much at all out there on the FA market, draft is supposedly weak in the WR department, though the Pats target guys other teams don't, or didn't? Will Mangini or Crennel go after Branch-type players?

 

[shakadave]

Bye, Givens. I liked it when you helped us win. You were injured kind of a lot. You are greedy. Wish we could have kept you though. Have fun in Cleveland.

 

[BelichickFan]

Have fun in Cleveland.

Just like Andruzzi did

 

[Murphys95]

Something fishy about that article - the date (March 30) and the title.

I tend to believe this is the webmaster of the Cleveland Browns jumping the gun on free agency (although this very well could be a done deal). There is also no posting of Givens' signing on the main page of the website.

 

[fgssand]

Good luck - but who would want to go to Cleveland - UGH, Cleveland really sucks.

 

[BelichickFan]

There is also no posting of Givens' signing on the main page of the website.

That's because they aren't supposed to have signed him yet. The page was there but not linked to, someone just happened to find it earlier than they should.

 

[shirtsleeve]

Like I just said on another thread...Bingo! Bingo! We got Bingo! Again! Because of this tampering we just got a 2nd round pick for DG! He was gone anyway, but now we just pulled off a trade! We had no value or comp coming, but "we win again!"

 

[Murphys95]

That's because they aren't supposed to have signed him yet. The page was there but not linked to, someone just happened to find it earlier than they should.

I look at it as simply a webmaster planning for an active free agency. In anticipation of the Browns signing Givens (which is no surprise), the webmaster put together a page to go live when the news actually hits. That also explains why the page is now hidden from public view. Try the link again.

 

[patriotsrule]

For everyone who hates David Givens, this is from ESPN's John Clayton:

The first weird free-agency report of the night came from Cleveland, when the team's Web site reportedly signed Patriots wide receiver David Givens and Ravens punter Dave Zastudil. The only problem was it wasn't true. Givens' agent, Brad Blank, has his client on a 7 a.m. flight to Miami to visit the Dolphins, and he almost didn't send Givens to Cleveland because of the erroneous report. Blank theorized that someone hacked into the Browns' computer, but he emphasized that no deal is done. Givens is scheduled to visit the Browns on Sunday if he doesn't sign with the Dolphins on Saturday.

 

[BelichickFan]

For everyone who hates David Givens who has been nothing but upstanding since he's been in New England, this is from ESPN's John Clayton:

If it turns out to be not true we can all decide how to feel. It's still none of your business how I, or anyone else, feels about him.

 

[smg93]

Cleveland Webmaster to New England Patriot Fans:

"HA HA, HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY"

 

[Murphys95]

For everyone who hates David Givens, this is from ESPN's John Clayton:

The first weird free-agency report of the night came from Cleveland, when the team's Web site reportedly signed Patriots wide receiver David Givens and Ravens punter Dave Zastudil. The only problem was it wasn't true. Givens' agent, Brad Blank, has his client on a 7 a.m. flight to Miami to visit the Dolphins, and he almost didn't send Givens to Cleveland because of the erroneous report. Blank theorized that someone hacked into the Browns' computer, but he emphasized that no deal is done. Givens is scheduled to visit the Browns on Sunday if he doesn't sign with the Dolphins on Saturday.

Good post. Like I thought, this appears to be no different than t-shirt companies pre-printing "champions" shirts for both teams in the Super Bowl.

 

[patriotsrule]

If it turns out to be not true we can all decide how to feel. It's still none of your business how I, or anyone else, feels about him.

And I'm free to feel the way I want to about so-called Patriots fans who hate every single player who leaves the team, even though the team really isn't interested in having them back in the first place.

 

[IcyPatriot]

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news_...ts/5199.0.html

GIvens
By Zac Jackson, Staff Writer
March 11, 2006

The Browns made an immediate splash in the free agent market Saturday by signing wide receiver David Givens.

WR David Givens

Photo By Getty Images
Givens, who played his first four NFL seasons with the Patriots and won two Super Bowl championships, seems to be a perfect fit for a Browns team that made adding an experienced, reliable receiver a top offseason goal.

Givens bolsters a Browns' receiving corps that awaits the return of last year's top draft pick, Braylon Edwards, from a December ACL injury, and also features veteran Dennis Northcutt.

Last year's leading receiver, Antonio Bryant, is a free agent.

Givens, 25, caught a career-high 59 passes for 738 yards in 13 games last season. He caught 5 passes for 54 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots' playoff loss in Denver in January.

He posted a career-high 6 touchdowns in 2003, and had a career-high 874 receiving yards in 2004. His career totals include 158 receptions, 2,214 yards and 12 touchdowns; he's also the Patriots all-time leader in postseason touchdown receptions with 6.

Givens was a seventh round draft choice out of Notre Dame in 2002. He signed a one-year max tender with the Patriots last season as a restricted free agent.

In Cleveland, Givens is reunited with Romeo Crennel and assistant head coach Jeff Davidson. Crennel was previously the defensive coordinator in New England and Davidson coached the offensive line and tight ends. Browns Special Teams Coach Jerry Rosburg held the same position at Notre Dame for two of Givens' four seasons there. Givens blocked three punts while playing under Rosburg in 2000.

Givens played a limited offensive role and contributed on special teams as a Patriots rookie in 2002, when he caught 9 passes for 92 yards and a touchdown in 12 games. He caught 34 passes for 510 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2003 in 13 games (5 starts) in 2003, including a career-long 57-yarder.

His breakout season came in 2004, when he led the Patriots with 56 catches for 874 yards. He had four games with 100-plus receiving yards, a touchdown catch in each of the Patriots' three postseason games, and converted first downs on 47 of his 56 regular-season receptions.

 

[BelichickFan]

so-called Patriots fans

Kiss my ass, buddy.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Kiss my ass, buddy.

and mine also

 

[fierce]

And I'm free to feel the way I want to about so-called Patriots fans who hate every single player who leaves the team, even though the team really isn't interested in having them back in the first place.

First of all he can have any damn opinion he wants. Second of all we should all have been pissed with an under the table deal. Third of all who are you to question ANYONE? The guy's issue was with the announcement BEFORE free agency even started. Want to know how he's a real fan? Cause he was pissed at the thought of one of his players cheating. Wow go figure. You're a tool...

 

[MoLewisrocks]

This happens in the news media as well - a story is written in anticipation of an event (because writers don't work 24/7) and is inadvertently uploaded by someone on the night crew. It's an innocent mistake and from the sounds of Blank's reaction almost cost Cleveland a chance to even talk to David. The last thing he wants is for teams to think it's not worth flying David in because he's already gone. Brad is known as a pretty upfront guy and he has indicated he will bring any offer to the Patriots attention before signing elsewhere. I doubt it will make much difference unless the kind of offers David envisions don't really materialize. Until a day or two ago the Patriots hadn't even spoken to Givens contract in over a year. But according to Felger the two sides have spoken and while it remains doubtful the door is not entirely closed.

There were rumors of Adam going to the Bucs today which some took as an indication of tampering too. Felger's spin on that was it's more likely since that story emanated from the Cowboys team website it was a planted piece because the Cowboys want someone to believe they aren't in the running for Adam and the rest of the league to assume he's good as gone to Tampa.

 

[Miguel]

More than Branch ? Not me. I guess he was a better value but I love Branch. He's right there with Brady, Bruschi and Harrison to me.

At the time of the 2002 draft pick Givens was my favorite pick. I thought that he was a great pick in terms of value. Truth be told, I hated the Branch pick at the time.