Mr. Laz
08-19-2005, 10:08 AM
Wide receiver is position of depth for Browns, could lead to deal
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports writer
BEREA - Trade rumors that have been swirling around wide receiver Andre Davis are now reality.
The Browns gave Davis and his agent permission to seek a trade on Thursday.
The team would not comment, and Davis was not available, but a league source with knowledge of the situation said the Browns informed Davis' agent he could seek another team.
Davis was the subject of trade rumors prior to camp when word broke that the Seattle Seahawks had called to check on his availability.
The Browns did not seriously pursue a deal at the time, but during camp the Browns have told Davis that if other teams called to ask about him, they had to listen because wide receiver is one spot where the team has depth.
However, the Browns also told Davis that if he wasn't traded, general manager Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel considered him an important part of the team.
The rumors and discussions seemed to bother Davis, though. He's had a camp that Crennel described as ``average,'' and he's carried himself as if he wasn't sure he was wanted.
CAREER RECEIVING STATS
Year Team G Rec Yds Avg Lg TD
2002 CLE 16 37 420 11.4 31 06
2003 CLE 16 40 576 14.4 49 05
2004 CLE 07 16 416 26.0 99 02
Total 39 93 1412 15.2 99 13
This week, he even lost the kickoff return job to rookie Josh Cribbs, who is expected to be the first return man this weekend in Detroit against the Lions.
Crennel admitted that the rumors can affect a player.
``He doesn't know,'' Crennel said. ``He wonders, `Am I going to be here or not?' Then every little thing that happens, he starts to worry about.''
Crennel tried to tell Davis to ignore the outside talk and just do his best, but Davis has not had the kind of camp he had in the past.
One year ago, he left camp as a starting receiver but missed the final nine games with a sprained toe. It was the second year in a row he finished the year injured, and led to talk that he was a track star playing football.
Davis addressed that tag the first week of camp by saying: ``If I'm a track guy playing football, I'm going to add another year to it. It doesn't bother me at all if people label me like that as long as I can go out there and make big plays the way I know I can.''
Davis was the Browns' second-round draft choice in 2002, and he will be a free agent after this season. But Antonio Bryant's contract is up after this season as well, so that's not the only reason the Browns have given Davis permission to seek a deal.
The reasons include:
• The emergence of Bryant. He has probably been the team's flashiest player in camp.
• The drafting of wide receiver Braylon Edwards with the third overall pick. It's considered a matter of time before Edwards moves up the depth chart.
• The fact that Savage and Crennel both like wide receiver Dennis Northcutt.
• The fact that other teams know the Browns are deep at receiver. It's a position the Browns can move a player and gain a draft pick for Savage to use in future years.
• Davis' history of injuries, which fair or not tends to tag a player.
If he's traded, it's conjecture where Davis winds up.
The Seahawks (who released Koren Robinson) and the Philadelphia Eagles (who lost Todd Pinkston) need receivers, but the Browns might want to wait through this weekend's games to see if another team loses a receiver to injury before deciding on a deal.
Safety Chris Crocker also has been mentioned in trade rumors, but those rumors appear unsubstantiated. The Browns believe Crocker has done well rotating at safety with Sean Jones and Brian Russell.
``I think Chris has done a nice job for us,'' Crennel said when asked how Crocker has played. ``He's a quick guy with good explosion and break on the ball. We plan to get him in the game sooner Saturday to give him a shot.''
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports writer
BEREA - Trade rumors that have been swirling around wide receiver Andre Davis are now reality.
The Browns gave Davis and his agent permission to seek a trade on Thursday.
The team would not comment, and Davis was not available, but a league source with knowledge of the situation said the Browns informed Davis' agent he could seek another team.
Davis was the subject of trade rumors prior to camp when word broke that the Seattle Seahawks had called to check on his availability.
The Browns did not seriously pursue a deal at the time, but during camp the Browns have told Davis that if other teams called to ask about him, they had to listen because wide receiver is one spot where the team has depth.
However, the Browns also told Davis that if he wasn't traded, general manager Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel considered him an important part of the team.
The rumors and discussions seemed to bother Davis, though. He's had a camp that Crennel described as ``average,'' and he's carried himself as if he wasn't sure he was wanted.
CAREER RECEIVING STATS
Year Team G Rec Yds Avg Lg TD
2002 CLE 16 37 420 11.4 31 06
2003 CLE 16 40 576 14.4 49 05
2004 CLE 07 16 416 26.0 99 02
Total 39 93 1412 15.2 99 13
This week, he even lost the kickoff return job to rookie Josh Cribbs, who is expected to be the first return man this weekend in Detroit against the Lions.
Crennel admitted that the rumors can affect a player.
``He doesn't know,'' Crennel said. ``He wonders, `Am I going to be here or not?' Then every little thing that happens, he starts to worry about.''
Crennel tried to tell Davis to ignore the outside talk and just do his best, but Davis has not had the kind of camp he had in the past.
One year ago, he left camp as a starting receiver but missed the final nine games with a sprained toe. It was the second year in a row he finished the year injured, and led to talk that he was a track star playing football.
Davis addressed that tag the first week of camp by saying: ``If I'm a track guy playing football, I'm going to add another year to it. It doesn't bother me at all if people label me like that as long as I can go out there and make big plays the way I know I can.''
Davis was the Browns' second-round draft choice in 2002, and he will be a free agent after this season. But Antonio Bryant's contract is up after this season as well, so that's not the only reason the Browns have given Davis permission to seek a deal.
The reasons include:
• The emergence of Bryant. He has probably been the team's flashiest player in camp.
• The drafting of wide receiver Braylon Edwards with the third overall pick. It's considered a matter of time before Edwards moves up the depth chart.
• The fact that Savage and Crennel both like wide receiver Dennis Northcutt.
• The fact that other teams know the Browns are deep at receiver. It's a position the Browns can move a player and gain a draft pick for Savage to use in future years.
• Davis' history of injuries, which fair or not tends to tag a player.
If he's traded, it's conjecture where Davis winds up.
The Seahawks (who released Koren Robinson) and the Philadelphia Eagles (who lost Todd Pinkston) need receivers, but the Browns might want to wait through this weekend's games to see if another team loses a receiver to injury before deciding on a deal.
Safety Chris Crocker also has been mentioned in trade rumors, but those rumors appear unsubstantiated. The Browns believe Crocker has done well rotating at safety with Sean Jones and Brian Russell.
``I think Chris has done a nice job for us,'' Crennel said when asked how Crocker has played. ``He's a quick guy with good explosion and break on the ball. We plan to get him in the game sooner Saturday to give him a shot.''