Bucs sign Brown

[Javs]

Aug 10, 2004 - Tim Brown has 99 career touchdown receptions. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would love to see him get to 100. And beyond.

The third-leading pass-catcher in league history is now a Buccaneer, after Brown signed with Tampa Bay on Tuesday, six days after being released by the only NFL team for which he has ever played, the Oakland Raiders. The Bucs will introduce the future Hall-of-Famer at 4:15 p.m. ET on Tuesday afternoon; he’ll be in practice at the team’s training camp at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex by Wednesday morning.

To make room for Brown on the roster, the team released WR James Williams. Williams had signed with the Buccaneers on August 4, five days into camp.

Not only is Brown on the verge of 100 touchdowns, he’s just 31 catches behind Cris Carter for the second spot on the league’s all-time reception list. Brown already owns the second spot in yardage and is fourth all-time in touchdowns. All told, in 16 seasons, he has caught 1,070 passes for 14,834 yards and those 99 scores. He has 43 100-yard games, led the Raiders in receiving 11 times and has been voted into nine Pro Bowls.

Of course, while Jon Gruden’s Buccaneers are respectful of Brown’s place in NFL history, they are most concerned with what the veteran receiver can provide for them this year.

 

"I don’t want to make any predictions, any bold statements, but this guy brings a tremendous amount of class," said Gruden. "He gives us credibility and adds, I think, to a group of receivers that has a chance to be a highlight, a strength of our football team."

Added Brown: "I'm not coming here just to be a guy. I'm coming here to be the Tim Brown I used to be. I think I have a lot left in the proverbial tank."

Brown’s arrival in Tampa is, of course, a reunion for the receiver, Gruden and the Buccaneers’ general manager, Bruce Allen. Gruden was Oakland’s head coach from 1998-2001 and Allen held a similar position with the Raiders from 1995-2003. During Gruden’s four years at the Raiders’ helm, Brown averaged 84 receptions for 1,162 yards and nine touchdowns per season.

"I’m really excited to be reunited with a class act and a great football player," said Gruden. "His accomplishments are well-documented – 16 years, second in NFL history in receiving, and he’s not done yet."

Since an injury cost him all but one game in 1989, Brown (6-0, 195) has also been remarkably durable. Over the last 14 seasons, he has missed only one of a possible 224 games, none since 1993. He has also started all but one game for the Raiders over the last 11 years.

Brown has been as consistent a producer as they come. From 1993-2001, he recorded nine consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, and he hasn’t caught fewer than 50 balls in a campaign since 1992, when he had 49. Last year’s marks of 52 receptions for 567 yards and two touchdowns were his lowest since ’92, but they still would have ranked third among all Buccaneers in 2003 had he joined the team a year earlier. He was the second-leading receiver for an Oakland offense that sunk to 25th in the NFL in 2003. In 2002, the Raiders had the league’s top-ranked offense and Brown contributed 81 receptions for 930 yards.

Brown was the sixth overall pick in the draft when the Raiders tabbed him out of Notre Dame in 1988. He had 43 catches for 725 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. After missing all of 1989 and playing a complimentary role the next three seasons, Brown exploded in 1993 with 80 catches for 1,180 yards and seven touchdowns. That started a 10-year span in which he would average eight touchdowns a year.

Brown is also an accomplished punt returner. Over the years he has averaged 10.2 yards per return on 150 runbacks and scored three touchdowns. As recently as 2001 he averaged 18.5 yards per on 21 returns.

The 38-year-old Brown hails from Dallas, Texas. At Notre Dame, he won the Heisman Trophy in 1987 as a senior. He will be the third Heisman Trophy winner to play for the Buccaneers, following Steve Spurrier (won the award in 1966) and Vinny Testaverde (1996).

Credit-tampabaybuccaneers.com

Thoughts/Opinions???

[JStarr]

Got tons of respect for Tim Brown, and it's good to see him land on a solid team...now hopefully Brad Johnson can get him the ball.

[Greg The Smooth]

Thats a big help to the Bucs they really needed it once Jerevicious (sp?) went down.