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No Joshing About It

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  • I was saying the Browns should be testing him there 2-3 years ago.

    Since the scrimmage is over, did he play any at safety??

    If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
    R 1 Reply

  • Ive been saying for 2 years josh should be "seriously" tried out as a safety he has the natural prototypical build of a brutal safety either free or strong..he has great ballhawking instinct, perfect speed and is a hard tackler that would help stuff the run or throw a big wrench in opposing teams passing plans..given some time to learn and develop the fine art of being a truly effective DB i have no doubt JC would quickly become one of the leagues best safeties then leaving us without a dedicated return man...argg we need at least 6 josh cribbs on this team! 😉

    We have been rebuilding since 1964, Why stop now? GO BROWNS!

  • Coach finds another spot to play Cribbs

    By Nate Ulrich

    Beacon Journal sports writer

    CLEVELAND: At this rate, Josh Cribbs will be kicking field goals and punting by the end of the season.

    After all, those are about the only duties he has not yet dabbled in during his career with the Browns.

    On Saturday, Cribbs continued to redefine his versatility when he lined up at safety for one play during his team's intrasquad scrimmage at Cleveland Browns Stadium. In his lone appearance on defense, Cribbs blitzed and later noted he would have had a sack if he had been playing in a real game instead of an exhibition in which tackling was prohibited.

    Cribbs is already known as one of the top return men in the NFL. He's also well-versed in making special-teams tackles, and running back, quarterback and wide receiver are on his resume, too.

    But safety?

    ''I don't want to put my foot in my mouth, but Coach really likes me back there, and he wants to give me a shot,'' Cribbs said. ''So I'm gonna take advantage of the opportunity when it comes.''

    Cribbs will receive plenty of chances this season, especially when it comes to making plays on offense. A member of the White team in Saturday's scrimmage against the Brown team, Cribbs took a snap out of the WildDawg formation and ran for 14 yards during his squad's first offensive play from scrimmage.

    Although the White team suffered a 14-6 loss, Cribbs finished with five catches for 29 yards and two carries for 15 yards.

    ''The more times you get the ball in his hands, the more chances he has of making explosive plays,'' Browns coach Eric Mangini said. ''You saw some of the things that we'll do with him, and I'm sure we'll do a lot more as well.''

    Of Cribbs' five receptions, four came from quarterback Seneca Wallace, who's expected to play a significant role this season, even though Jake Delhomme is favored to become the team's starter. Cribbs and Wallace give the Browns plenty of options when they're on the field together, especially when they appear in the WildDawg at the same time.

    ''With me and Josh Cribbs both being back there, it can be really exciting,'' said Wallace, who completed 17-of-23 passes for 152 yards Saturday. ''Obviously, he's gonna make his plays.

    ''It can be a run. He can throw it. I can be back there. I can throw it to him, or we can run a reverse, whatever. The sky is the limit for both of us on the field at the same time.''

    During the offseason, the Browns traded a 2011 draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Wallace. The move allowed Browns President Mike Holmgren to acquire a player with whom he built a relationship during his days with the Seattle Seahawks, and it gave Cribbs a new running mate.

    ''It's like none other,'' Cribbs said of his connection with Wallace. ''You've got two quarterbacks out there just [having fun] and playing football, and that's what it's all about. I look for him to throw me the ball, and he looks for me to catch it. That's the chemistry that we're getting in practice, and it's gonna [transfer to] the game as well.''

    Obviously, Cribbs and Wallace share respect for one another. But both players know they have yet to unlock their full potential as a one-two punch.

    ''There's always gonna be some bugs to work out,'' Wallace said. ''Obviously, that's why we have training camp — to work out some of those bugs. Since we've started training camp, me and him [have] been on the same page. But obviously, there's a lot of room for improvement.''

    1st Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU 3rd Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi State4th Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma5th Earl Wolff, S, N.C. State6th Lucas Reed, TE, New Mexico
    ❤

  • I've been saying he should be playing saftey since his first game as WR and he sucked at it, yea he SUCKS at WR. He is a ball hawk, one of the best tacklers on the team, fast enough and could you imagine him picking one off against and returning it against the offense it would be a for sure TD.

    Mangini and MH are making a believer out of myself cause they are setting this team up the way i said it should of been set up a long time ago. Could of saved alot of time if Learner would of replied to my emails.

    HOF kickoff returners don't go into their 30's returning kicks need to find that boy a position and WR will NEVER EVER be his position. He'd make a much better running back

    "We are Americans. We don't quit doing something because it's wrong. We just keep doing the wrong thing till it turns out right." Browns maybe the most American Football team ever.

  • Anyone who doesn't believe Cribbs is the most versatile player in the NFL is on crack. The guy isn't a WR or returner, he is a FOOTBALL PLAYER. The guy has the athletic ability, drive, and head on his shoulders to play almost any position on a football team. You could take away Lebron James 100 times before I'd want cribbs gone. We are so lucky to have this guy on our roster.

    ❤
  • M maddogg7888

    Anyone who doesn't believe Cribbs is the most versatile player in the NFL is on crack. The guy isn't a WR or returner, he is a FOOTBALL PLAYER. The guy has the athletic ability, drive, and head on his shoulders to play almost any position on a football team. You could take away Lebron James 100 times before I'd want cribbs gone. We are so lucky to have this guy on our roster.

    @maddogg7888 said:

    Anyone who doesn't believe Cribbs is the most versatile player in the NFL is on crack. The guy isn't a WR or returner, he is a FOOTBALL PLAYER. The guy has the athletic ability, drive, and head on his shoulders to play almost any position on a football team. You could take away Lebron James 100 times before I'd want cribbs gone. We are so lucky to have this guy on our roster.

    seriously?

    not to knock him for what he is (one of the best ST players of all time and a mediocre WR/RB).

    but seriously?

    good news for the Steelers if he actually lands the position. BAD news for you guys.

    with all i've heard about Big Ben being a rapist and i go to a online sex offender registry and look up cleveland and Pittsburgh and what do i find? cleveland has a CRAP load more sex offenders (and expecially child molesters) than Pittsburgh.......over 4X as many over all. 2055 of them to Pittsburgh's 421. www.familywatchdog.us better never hear one of you date raping, can't get a woman with my tiny peep unless i hold her down, child molesting hypocrits say anything else about Ben.
    The GipperT 1 Reply

  • I also think Josh has the skills to be a good safety. The problem imho is that if you are going to use him at returner, receiver and WildDawg he can only be a 3rd and more than 15 type of guy. Even then you better have someone else returning punts because Josh could be running a long sprint right before the punt. The last thing we want is for him to be hurt because he was tired

  • ballpeenB ballpeen

    I was saying the Browns should be testing him there 2-3 years ago.

    Since the scrimmage is over, did he play any at safety??

    @ballpeen said:

    I was saying the Browns should be testing him there 2-3 years ago.

    Since the scrimmage is over, did he play any at safety??

    i didn't call for this 2 or 3 years ago, but i did last year. He seems most comfortable when he is facing the action (KO returns, KO coverage, punt returns, QB in the Wilddawg, etc.). He's never looked comfortable looking back for the ball at WR. Safety would be perfect, Heck, we know he can tackle. The only question mark (and a big one) is can he cover?

  • R roach

    @ballpeen said:

    I was saying the Browns should be testing him there 2-3 years ago.

    Since the scrimmage is over, did he play any at safety??

    i didn't call for this 2 or 3 years ago, but i did last year. He seems most comfortable when he is facing the action (KO returns, KO coverage, punt returns, QB in the Wilddawg, etc.). He's never looked comfortable looking back for the ball at WR. Safety would be perfect, Heck, we know he can tackle. The only question mark (and a big one) is can he cover?

    @roach said:

    i didn't call for this 2 or 3 years ago, but i did last year. He seems most comfortable when he is facing the action (KO returns, KO coverage, punt returns, QB in the Wilddawg, etc.). He's never looked comfortable looking back for the ball at WR. Safety would be perfect, Heck, we know he can tackle. The only question mark (and a big one) is can he cover?

    I have a feeling he can....the kid is just a gamer.

    He doesn't need Haden coverage skills as a safety usually isn't pinned to the best receiver who can beat him with speed alone. A safety is usually against a guy he can beat in a race, so any lost ground due to lack of coverage skills can usually be made up with superior speed against some TE as an example.

    You are right about facing the action....he is great there...and that is what a safety does...it isn't like corner with their back to the action a great deal of the time until the last moment.

    If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
  • G Gafreleets

    @maddogg7888 said:

    Anyone who doesn't believe Cribbs is the most versatile player in the NFL is on crack. The guy isn't a WR or returner, he is a FOOTBALL PLAYER. The guy has the athletic ability, drive, and head on his shoulders to play almost any position on a football team. You could take away Lebron James 100 times before I'd want cribbs gone. We are so lucky to have this guy on our roster.

    seriously?

    not to knock him for what he is (one of the best ST players of all time and a mediocre WR/RB).

    but seriously?

    good news for the Steelers if he actually lands the position. BAD news for you guys.

    @gafreleets said:

    seriously?

    not to knock him for what he is (one of the best ST players of all time and a mediocre WR/RB).

    but seriously?

    good news for the Steelers if he actually lands the position. BAD news for you guys.

    I understand what you are saying. You are saying if Cribbs is put back at safety that would mean the safeties we do have on the roster are crap and not getting the job done.

    That is logical, but I see a different spin on it. Cribbs would only be in at safety in certain specialty situations where his talents could be utilized, like 3rd or 4th and really long, or in like "Hail Mary" like situations. He could certainly handle himself back there on those occasions.

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