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Givens update
The Tennessee Titans have called an 11 a.m. (Central time) press conference for today, and will announce the signing of free-agent receiver David Givens.
Givens opened the free agency period by visiting the Dolphins on Saturday and the Texans on Sunday. He arrived in Tennessee on Monday and the first sign things were heating up was when Givens extended his visit overnight, into Tuesday, to tour Nashville.
"I think it's a good idea to spend time there, a place he has never really been, to see the city before deciding if that is where he wants to live," agent Brad Blank said in Tuesday editions of the Boston Globe.
Blank was holding a Tuesday morning conference call with Titans general manager Floyd Reese to go over final contract details. The sides have agreed to a five-year, $24 million pact, with an $8 million signing bonus.
Givens is the fourth Patriots player to sign elsewhere in free agency, following receiver Andre' Davis (Bills), tight end Christian Fauria (Redskins) and linebacker Matt Chatham (Jets). Meanwhile, outside linebacker Willie McGinest is scheduled to visit the Browns today.
The Patriots haven't signed any free agents, and one line of thinking is that they're taking a patient approach while working in the background to sign what are expected to be rich extensions with defensive lineman Richard Seymour and receiver Deion Branch. The team generally likes to keep its free-agent intentions quiet, and is known only to have visited with free-agent offensive lineman Kevin Mawae.
The receiver position, however, is suddenly a concern. Of players on the 2005 roster who saw considerable time at the position, only Deion Branch and Bethel Johnson are under contract for 2006. The team could always re-sign Troy Brown, who spoke of his situation on Monday with a West Virginia television station.
The free-agent market at the position was considered thin to begin with and some of the top names remaining include Reche Caldwell (Chargers), Peter Warrick (Seahawks), Josh Reed (Bills), Jabar Gaffney (Texans) and Peerless Price (Cowboys). The Patriots are also likely monitoring the situations of Eric Moulds (Bills) and Keyshawn Johnson (Cowboys) -- both of whom might be let go by their teams.
