Browns receiver Josh Cribbs, a versatile and exciting young player who might be the best player on the team, generated plenty of interest as the trade deadline approached.
Multiple teams were believed to be interested in Cribbs, whose performance has not been affected by a lingering dispute with management regarding his contract.
Through it all, the Browns privately made it clear that they wouldn’t be trading Cribbs.
But even though Cribbs still wants his contract to be addressed, Cribbs is happy that he wasn’t traded.
“They want me,” Cribbs said. “They’re really adamant about keeping me in a Cleveland
Browns’ uniform. That speaks volumes. A lot of teams wanted me, and
they opted out of trading me. I’ve always said that I want to stay in
this uniform. I’m glad to still be here. I’m going to make the best of
it.”
And Cribbs seems to be placated for now regarding his contract, which runs through 2012 and never pays him a full-season salary of more than six figures.
“I don’t have a personal timetable,” Cribbs said. “I’m just trying to move
the process along as fast as I can. In talking with coach, I feel like we’re making steps in the right direction to this
point.”
There had been concerns about a possible holdout or even a walkout from Cribbs. For now, though, Cribbs isn’t complaining. And that might be only good news coming out of Cleveland through six weeks of the 2009 season.
Damn you’re up early brother. Gruden is proud.
how has this guy not gotten more money yet. without him they are void of any play making ability.
There will certainly be those people who spout off “He’s the one who signed the contract! He should have to honor it! Spoiled Athletes.” And those people are idiots. Restructuring and Renegotiating contracts is a common practice for every team in the league, and the Browns are practicing bad business. There is no possible way this is making them look appetizing to the soon to be free agent market. You either want to win or you don’t, and that means spending the money to keep you stars happy, even if your biggest star is a special teamer. There are people that get it and there are people that don’t and Randy Lerner doesn’t get it, hence the hiring of employees that don’t get it.
Pay the man and show some good will instead of being a bunch of sour pusses.
Ralph….
the Browns will pay him but not now. It’s not common practice to redo deals mid season. this will get done when it should get done….in the off-season. I think you are the one that doesn’t get it.
Cribbs is a class act. I wish my Brownies had 22 of him.
@JoeBrowns027
This isn’t an endorsement of Ralph’s comments, but “it’s not common practice to redo deals mid season” is very misleading and a pube from dead-ass wrong. Deals get redone during the season all the time. If you meant less frequently- maybe- but how about some data to back that up. I’m fairly certain you don’t have it and are shooting from the hip…a hip connected to a man who goes out of his way to correct people incorrectly.
I am usually the one to yell “Honor your contract!” and he is. However if I were the Browns I would extend him. Not HUGE money, they have all the leverage, but 1-2 million per year with incentives and 10 million dollar signing bonus for an extra 2 years would be fair. Tha give him some money now, Keeps the browns in a cheap contract, and keeps him in cleveland for a couple more years.
And “less frequently” and “not common” are different how?
Proof is in reading this site…how many times do you read about deals getting redone once the season is underway?
I’m not saying they shouldn’t pay the man. He is the Browns. It doesn’t set a good precedence especially with a new front office. That’s all.
BTW I wouldn’t be shocked, surprised, or upset if they do redo the deal midseason.
@JoeBrown
For example, 20 times a year is “less frequent” than 18 times a year, but not uncommon.
If this site is your source for all contract happenings…then therein lies your problem. Contracts are perpetually redone and not reported here- nor should they be-because that would be painfully mundane. The Patriots are one organization that doesn’t this continually to manage their roster.
My point is your statement “uncommon” is absolutely false.
This is a lesson in diction (and admittedly boring) but since you were preaching you needed to be fact-checked.
the browns don’t deserve cribbs.
pay the man or let him play elsewhere
But 20 or 18 or even 100 out of 1700 is uncommon (not ordinary).
Boring yet you started and you continue…hmmm.
let’s see your facts to back up your inference that contracts are perpetually redone during the season. And that doesn’t mean signing someone, then releasing then signing them again.
Re-doing a contract that still has 2 or 3 years on it. It rarely happens IMO….is that better.
I’m assuming you meant 18 is less frequent than 20 b/c even you can’t be that stupid to think that 20 is less than 18
There will certainly be those people who spout off “He’s the one who signed the contract! He should have to honor it! Spoiled Athletes.” And those people are idiots. Restructuring and Renegotiating contracts is a common practice for every team in the league, and the Browns are practicing bad business. There is no possible way this is making them look appetizing to the soon to be free agent market. You either want to win or you don’t, and that means spending the money to keep you stars happy, even if your biggest star is a special teamer. There are people that get it and there are people that don’t and Randy Lerner doesn’t get it, hence the hiring of employees that don’t get it.
Pay the man and show some good will instead of being a bunch of sour pusses.
=================
Not to mention the idiots who don’t understand that a signing bonus is an up-front advance on future salaries, which has to be pro-rated across the life of the contract when discussing annual salaries fairly.
Or the idiots who point to “bad business practices” and turn a blind eye to the precedent that would be set by the team tearing up a contract at this stage.
“The Patriots are one organization that doesn’t this continually to manage their roster. ”
==============
All NFL clubs do this continually. Not so much to manage the roster as to massage the salary cap and maintain compliance.
Tearing up a long term deal just two years in because the player hired a new agent and dude needs his commission is another animal altogether.
@JoeBrown
Yes, I was careless in quickly typing the example to dumb it down for you. My bad with the dyslexic quick stat.
But while I didn’t mean to do this, you meant to preach on something you’re laughably unaware of.
I won’t out myself today as to how I’m an authority on this subject. Just know that your insight on contracts in the NFL is comically uninformed. I’ll leave it at that…
I know you don’t know. You think (hope) you’re right. I know you’re not. In this instance, your opinion is shit, regardless of whether you think it is.
Man oh man, give Cribbs the money that Hester makes before you ever sign another player to this team. This guy is the best player on a other wise unexciting team. Maybe if we could keep some talent and actually start treating our players better things could change.
Mangini it’s time to get involved and make sure you don’t lose or give away anymore talent so we can actually be possibly competitive within the next couple of years.
I am sick of losing since we came back. We use to be a proud franchise now people just shake their heads and laugh at us. It’s time to right this ship.
Common Browns fight as one!