The two-time Pro-Bowler decides the timing and money are right, plus he reunites with Cleveland head coach Romeo Crennel, his former defensive coordinator in New England.

01:00 AM EST on Thursday, March 16, 2006

BY TOM E. CURRAN
Journal Sports Writer

"Thanks for the memories," is becoming the battle cry of the New England Patriots' 2006 offseason.

Yesterday, 12-year-Patriot Willie McGinest -- wooed by a sweetheart deal from Browns' coach Romeo Crennel -- signed with Cleveland. McGinest got the kind of deal the Pats weren't going to match -- three years and $12 million with a reported $6 million in bonuses and guarantees.

A day earlier, David Givens got a six-year, $24-million deal from Tennessee that was too rich for the Patriots.

And with kicker Adam Vinatieri visiting Green Bay tomorrow, he may be next.

The departures of McGinest and Givens can be rationalized from the Patriots' standpoint. The Browns weren't just paying for Willie McGinest, 34-year-old linebacker. They are trying to instill a winning culture with their young team. McGinest, a four-time Super Bowl participant who owns the NFL postseason record for total sacks, brings that.

Crennel knows McGinest's way of doing business. Serious. Smart. Observant of how his teammates operate. He's a sheriff type. The veteran Patriots don't need that as much as they need youth, speed and durability. And that's the tradeoff they chose.

As for Givens, the deal the Titans gave him was way out of whack with where the Patriots valued him. Only the most petty Pats fan could begrudge Givens going for the dough; only a fool would say the Pats should have matched that offer.

Vinatieri will pose a different problem. He's looking for a deal that will pay him more than $3 million per year. The Pats paid him $2.5 million last year after they franchised him. In order to retain him, he'll want guaranteed money in addition to the $3-million salary. The Packers will probably do that for him. The Patriots, who are nearly $20 million under the $102-million salary cap, have the means to do it. And the public sentiment is that they should. Whether they do or not is the next chapter in this offseason.

As for McGinest, Browns general manager Phil Savage introduced him last night saying, he brings, "leadership, presence, professionalism."

"We were part of the Reggie White free-agent tour (in 1993)," recalled Savage, who was working under Bill Belichick in Cleveland back then. "He would have enticed players to see Cleveland as a place to go. We feel Willie will have the same effect. He brings a tremendous amount of credibility to our team."

Wearing a cream-colored suit and a Browns hat, McGinest said: "It's going to be a little different (not being in New England). I'm not bitter at all (at the Patriots). At the end of the day, (they) did release me into free agency. I'm excited about moving on into a new chapter of my life."

Crennel, McGinest's defensive coordinator for four seasons with the Patriots, was the clinching factor in the decision.

"I know a lot of things Romeo and the organization represented," he said. "He has his own way of getting his message across. He is like a father. Everyone made me feel wanted here. It didn't feel like a business decision.

"I'm not going to come in and change the world," McGinest added. "I'm going to work hard and guys around me will be forced to work because that's how I do it. People think I'll come in and do a lot of yelling. That's not me. Hopefully I can bring guys along and teach at the same time."

The Patriots released McGinest in a salary-cap move last week, saving more than $6 million on their 2006 cap. As of early this week, the Patriots hadn't made any offers to McGinest. His agent, Steve Caric, had no comment yesterday on whether or not the Patriots tried to match the Browns' offer.

In a statement last night, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said, "Willie McGinest had an incredible career with the New England Patriots. He will always be regarded as a smart, talented, tough team leader who infused professionalism to the team every day and contributed greatly to many championship seasons."

Drafted fourth overall in the 1994 draft, McGinest went to Pro Bowls in 1996 and 2003. He's played his best football since turning 30 as his talent, conditioning, strength and savvy conjoined to make him one of the best big-play linebackers in the league.

He's got 78 career regular-season sacks and 666 career tackles. He's missed just two regular-season games in the last four seasons.

With McGinest gone, the Patriots will hasten to move Mike Vrabel back to outside linebacker where he and Rosey Colvin will man the edges. Tedy Bruschi and Monty Beisel look to be the inside linebackers at this point. That will no doubt change as the months pass.

The Patriots have had lineman Jason Fabini and corner DeShea Townsend in for free-agent visits this week. The agent for running back Verron Haynes disputed a report that said the Patriots were interested in the former Steeler.

tcurran@projo.com / (401) 277-7340