Innocent Error or Tampering Cover-Up? David Givens and clevelandbrowns.com

At 12:01 AM this morning, the NFL free agency period began, meaning a number of players could begin to negotiate with other teams. Up until that point, however, prospective free agents and their representatives could not speak with any team other than their existing employer. If a team broke that rule, it would be subject to tampering violations, which typically entail forfeiture of draft picks.

At 12:21 AM this morning, the Cleveland Browns' website announced that the team had signed free agent wide receiver David Givens, who has been with the New England Patriots over the past four seasons (see screen shot to left). The 361-word statement was well-written but curiously dated "March 30, 2006" and strangely entitled "GIvens." Within hours, however, the link and screenshot were removed. Rotoworld and the Boston Globe then reported denials by Givens' agent, Brad Blank, that his client had already reached a contract, and, in fact, Givens has visits scheduled with a number of NFL teams, including one with the Miami Dolphins today (Givens is considered one of the better free agent wide receivers).

It certainly appears that no contract has been reached, or Givens will be wasting his time and that of numerous personnel from various NFL teams in the coming days. So why would the official Browns website announce his signing? The Browns have not issued a clarification, but Blank apparently theorized that someone may have hacked into the Browns' computer system--a theory perhaps bolstered by the erroneous date of the entry (March 30, 2006) and its odd title ("GIvens"). I suspect another possible reason is that a Browns' press assistant was simply misinformed or confused, and the posting reflected an honest mistake.

But it is strange, and if Givens ultimately signs with the Browns, the Patriots would seem poised to file a tampering complaint with the NFL. The complaint may or may not have merit, but the circumstances would warrant at least clarification as to why the 12:21 AM posting occurred.

Note: the screenshot above was taken by someone at Pro Football Talk, a must-read for football fans.

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