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Josh Cribbs Is Expected To Skip Browns Minicamp

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  • Best case at this point would be that both sides are willing to negotiate and all of this is posturing for better leverage. I'm not used to seeing posturing going this far or getting this personal in only one day, and if I were Cribbs and I were telling the truth, it would take a lot of dough at this point to make me forget the tone of the team's public declarations - coming all the way from the top. This isn't Savage firing off a dumb email - the statement uses the owner's name and basically calls Cribbs a liar. Before getting too angry, though, Cribbs needs to realize that the length of his existing contract severely limits his leverage here. One of the only respectable things I've seen the Bengals do over the years was coming out and saying that Chad Johnson was under contract and wasn't going to be able to force his way into more money or out of town. These things usually end better for both sides when done amicably and behind closed doors.

  • @dan-in-florida said:

    To answer my own question (Cribbs' agent, J.R. Rickert):

    Robbie Agnone.............Tight End.......................Washington Redskins

    Lorenzo Alexander........Off/Def ........................Lineman Washington Redskins

    Brandon Archer ...........Linebacker ....................Washington Redskins

    JJ Arrington..................Running Back ................Denver Broncos

    Jordan Babineaux ........Defensive Back ..............Seattle Seahawks

    Correll Buckhalter.........Running Back ................Denver Broncos

    Greg Camarillo.............Receiver .......................Miami Dolphins

    Jeremy Clark...............Defensive Lineman .........New York Giants

    Joshua Cribbs............Receiver/Returner ........Cleveland Browns

    Jason Davis.................Fullback Chicago ............Bears

    Marlon Davis.............Offensive Guard ...........Cleveland Browns

    Jermichael Finley........*Tight End .......................Green Bay Packers

    Dashon Goldson..........*Safety San ....................Francisco 49ers

    Letroy Guion...............Defensive Lineman ..........Minnesota Vikings

    William Hayes.............Defensive End ................ Tennessee Titans

    Kyries Hebert..............Safety ............................Cincinnati Bengals

    Artis Hicks..................Offensive Lineman ............Minnesota Vikings

    Jamaal Jackson...........Center .............................Philadelphia Eagles

    Ellis Lankster...............Cornerback .....................Buffalo Bills

    Cleo Lemon................Quarterback .....................Jacksonville Jaguars

    Nate Livings................Offensive Lineman ............Cincinnati Bengals

    Tom Malone................Punter .............................New England Patriots

    Ryan McBean..............Defensive Lineman ...........Denver Broncos

    Brandon McDonald.....Defensive Back .............Cleveland Browns

    Billy McMullen..............Receiver ..........................Seattle Seahawks

    Sam McNaulty.............Offensive Lineman .............New Orleans Saints

    Cam Morrah................Tight End ..........................Seattle Seahawks

    Terrence Nunn.............Receiver ..........................New England Patriots

    Chris Ogbannaya.........Running Back ...................St. Louis Rams

    Samie Parker...............Receiver ..........................Oakland Raiders

    Mike Patterson..............Defensive Tackle ..............Philadelphia Eagles

    LaJuan Ramsey...........*Defensive Lineman ...........Tennessee Titans

    Stefan Rodgers.............Offensive Lineman ............Jacksonville Jaguars

    Frostee Rucker..............Defensive End .................Cincinnati Bengals

    Joe Thomas..............*Offensive Lineman ..........Cleveland Browns

    Jonathan Wade.............Cornerback ......................St. Louis Rams

    Daniel Wilcox................Tight End .........................Baltimore Ravens

    Wow. His agent must be raking in the cash!!

    @hammertime said:

    Wow. His agent must be raking in the cash!!

    But he isn't making any off of Josh unless Josh has hired him to perform personal services such as taxes or matters of the estate.

    Most agents make the majority of their money from the amount of guaranteed money they negotiate for their client.

    We will see what sort of proof he has.....taped conversation??

    Either way, it doesn't matter. They see a NEW contract which I assume will be to include more signing bonus money.

    We hold the cards. I would tell him we won't trade him under any circumstance if he holds out and are prepared to just put him on the shelf for the next 4 years if he decides to hold out that long.

    The guy is beginning to remind me of Northcutt.

  • As has already been mentioned, I'll start holding players' feet to the fire once people start doing the same for front offices who cut players halfway through a contract.

    The new angle--Cribbs wanting to be traded--doesn't change that a bit. I don't see how players who demand to be traded if their contracts aren't reworked are substantially different from GM/owners who announce that while they'd really love to have the players back on the team--nod nod, wink wink--they're just not sure if they'll be able to keep them on the roster unless they restructure their contracts. For salary cap purposes, you see. In both cases, the agent/GM says the same thing: nice team you have here...sure would be a shame if something were to happen to it.

    I don't like it when either side does it. But if one side can do it, the other side should be able to as well.

    Dennis

  • It's gotten out of hand, and it's only getting worse.

    Cribbs is an amazing player, but this is a new regime, and you have to prove your worth all over again. If he wanted to hold out for money he should have done it last year.

    I'm with Mangini and the Browns on this one. Cribbs signed that contract, and it wasn't a pretty one at all. He wanted security, because he wasn't sure how good he was going to be. It may have made some sense at the time, but 6 years? One year in, he wanted it redone. I have to say, that's bullshit. Especially for a guy who wasn't even drafted.

    If the Browns want to stick it to him and trade him, that's fine. Giving him Devin Hester money is totally out of the question, and f--king Retarded of Cribbs to expect.

    Hell, I'd just let him sit until he shows up.

  • Hell, I'd just let him sit until he shows up.

    LOL....we could mess with the guy if we wanted.

    Issue a statement saying we like Josh and hope he returns to the Browns, but if he decides to sit out the next 4 years, we already feel like we got our money's worth out of him seeing how little we had invested in him.

    Treat hold-outs like a terrorist..we don't negotiate with hold-outs could be another press release.

    LOL.

    Just having fun for those who think i am serious...we should always operate in good faith

  • This is amazing to me. What does a player have to do to get any support from you guys?

  • This is amazing to me. What does a player have to do to get any support from you guys?

    @we-need-tom-tupa said:

    This is amazing to me. What does a player have to do to get any support from you guys?

    superbowl

  • @we-need-tom-tupa said:

    This is amazing to me. What does a player have to do to get any support from you guys?

    superbowl

    @hammertime said:

    superbowl

    Cribbs takes the blame for not winning a SB? Not the team owner that is on his 5th HC in less than a decade?

  • @shepwrite said:

    By the way, he was #16 in average yards per kickoff and #17 in average yards per punt. I just don't think he's doing himself any good going for the money now instead of after this season.

    dude...you didn't hear?

    he's our 2nd most important player.....

  • @hammertime said:

    superbowl

    Cribbs takes the blame for not winning a SB? Not the team owner that is on his 5th HC in less than a decade?

    @we-need-tom-tupa said:

    Cribbs takes the blame for not winning a SB? Not the team owner that is on his 5th HC in less than a decade?

    Come on Tupa, if he wants incentives i could see it through. If he wants to throw out the old contract then no way. Cribbs has been a bright spot for many fans, but this won't endeer him to many more. Realistically he is just a special teams player that the fans have alot of dreams for. I think the real riff is going to be the he said she said bs about a phone call that did or di not happen.

    I would like him back but at this point i want people who want to play just to make up for the shitfest of last year, you go 4-12 and thinks its time to ask for more cash. Not good business and bad luck for JC

  • A contract is as good as the paper it's written on.

    Also, contracts are WRITTEN to prevent mis-understandings.

    Right Zombo?

  • @shepwrite said:

    By the way, he was #16 in average yards per kickoff and #17 in average yards per punt.

    I think people in the league realize why his stats were down. The guy rushed back from a high ankle sprain and lost one of his best blockers to injury (Lennie Friedman). He was hobbled and didn't have as many holes to run through; anyone facing those conditions would see their stats decline.

  • This is amazing to me. What does a player have to do to get any support from you guys?

    @we-need-tom-tupa said:

    This is amazing to me. What does a player have to do to get any support from you guys?

    Honor his contract and work the proper way to get it redone, through his agent, not the media.

    BTW, his agent today said he isn't looking for Hester money, but something in the ballpark. So much for a few incentives.

    After I closed my golf shop and retired I signed a contract with the USGA as a tournament official for $250 per event and expenses. Six months later I found out that guys were put on full time and paid a salary that had less qualifications, I honored my contract. My duties also got expanded because I styarted doing equipment tests due to changes in the USGA rules.

    I was like an UDA because I didn't come up through the USGA ranks. I talked to my boss and my boss's boss and they agreed to providing me with a 4 week advance schedule and a quarterly bonus for each qtr I worked 6 or more events.

    Point is Cribbs signed a contract he thought fair and he wanted, with quaranteed money up front, not yearly roster bonuses. I believe it was a 4 year extension to his existing contract, not a new contract. He also was awarded a pro bowl bonus after 2007 even though it was not in his contract as was Anderson (how much, I don't recall). He gets a $25,000 bonus for attending OTAs and he does have some incentives built into this contract.

    Bottom line is if he does it the right way, Lerner and the Browns have proven to be more then responsive to player's contract demands. This organization can never be accused of being tight with their money. But, like Winslow, you don't keep giving guys a new contract every other year, especially when they take the money up front and agree to lower yearly non guaranteed salaries. I agree the player's have a short window to make money, but the team also has a budget and a salary cap to consider. When a team pays a player up front money, they can't get it back if the player underperforms. So, when a player agrees to that he should ask for more money if he outperforms the rest of the contract.

    Remember contracts in the NFL don't mean crap, it's only the guaranteed money that matters. You can't ask for quaranteed money up front and then say you aren't making comparable money in salary to someone else.

    As much as I like Josh Cribbs, he needs to show them on the field that he deserves a new contract and I'm sure the Browns will do right by him. You just can't ask every other year and do the make me happy or I'll stay home BS.

  • @we-need-tom-tupa said:

    This is amazing to me. What does a player have to do to get any support from you guys?

    Honor his contract and work the proper way to get it redone, through his agent, not the media.

    BTW, his agent today said he isn't looking for Hester money, but something in the ballpark. So much for a few incentives.

    After I closed my golf shop and retired I signed a contract with the USGA as a tournament official for $250 per event and expenses. Six months later I found out that guys were put on full time and paid a salary that had less qualifications, I honored my contract. My duties also got expanded because I styarted doing equipment tests due to changes in the USGA rules.

    I was like an UDA because I didn't come up through the USGA ranks. I talked to my boss and my boss's boss and they agreed to providing me with a 4 week advance schedule and a quarterly bonus for each qtr I worked 6 or more events.

    Point is Cribbs signed a contract he thought fair and he wanted, with quaranteed money up front, not yearly roster bonuses. I believe it was a 4 year extension to his existing contract, not a new contract. He also was awarded a pro bowl bonus after 2007 even though it was not in his contract as was Anderson (how much, I don't recall). He gets a $25,000 bonus for attending OTAs and he does have some incentives built into this contract.

    Bottom line is if he does it the right way, Lerner and the Browns have proven to be more then responsive to player's contract demands. This organization can never be accused of being tight with their money. But, like Winslow, you don't keep giving guys a new contract every other year, especially when they take the money up front and agree to lower yearly non guaranteed salaries. I agree the player's have a short window to make money, but the team also has a budget and a salary cap to consider. When a team pays a player up front money, they can't get it back if the player underperforms. So, when a player agrees to that he should ask for more money if he outperforms the rest of the contract.

    Remember contracts in the NFL don't mean crap, it's only the guaranteed money that matters. You can't ask for quaranteed money up front and then say you aren't making comparable money in salary to someone else.

    As much as I like Josh Cribbs, he needs to show them on the field that he deserves a new contract and I'm sure the Browns will do right by him. You just can't ask every other year and do the make me happy or I'll stay home BS.

    @ytownbrownsbacker said:

    Honor his contract and work the proper way to get it redone, through his agent, not the media.

    BTW, his agent today said he isn't looking for Hester money, but something in the ballpark. So much for a few incentives.

    After I closed my golf shop and retired I signed a contract with the USGA as a tournament official for $250 per event and expenses. Six months later I found out that guys were put on full time and paid a salary that had less qualifications, I honored my contract. My duties also got expanded because I styarted doing equipment tests due to changes in the USGA rules.

    I was like an UDA because I didn't come up through the USGA ranks. I talked to my boss and my boss's boss and they agreed to providing me with a 4 week advance schedule and a quarterly bonus for each qtr I worked 6 or more events.

    Point is Cribbs signed a contract he thought fair and he wanted, with quaranteed money up front, not yearly roster bonuses. I believe it was a 4 year extension to his existing contract, not a new contract. He also was awarded a pro bowl bonus after 2007 even though it was not in his contract as was Anderson (how much, I don't recall). He gets a $25,000 bonus for attending OTAs and he does have some incentives built into this contract.

    Bottom line is if he does it the right way, Lerner and the Browns have proven to be more then responsive to player's contract demands. This organization can never be accused of being tight with their money. But, like Winslow, you don't keep giving guys a new contract every other year, especially when they take the money up front and agree to lower yearly non guaranteed salaries. I agree the player's have a short window to make money, but the team also has a budget and a salary cap to consider. When a team pays a player up front money, they can't get it back if the player underperforms. So, when a player agrees to that he should ask for more money if he outperforms the rest of the contract.

    Remember contracts in the NFL don't mean crap, it's only the guaranteed money that matters. You can't ask for quaranteed money up front and then say you aren't making comparable money in salary to someone else.

    As much as I like Josh Cribbs, he needs to show them on the field that he deserves a new contract and I'm sure the Browns will do right by him. You just can't ask every other year and do the make me happy or I'll stay home BS.

    So what if your boss had been fired and then at the end of your quarter the USGA said "Thanks for working 6 events, but I dont know what bonus you are talking about."

    The up front guaranteed money argument again? So if he was just getting that $333,333 prorated into his base salary each year you would be okay with his stance? What is the right way, because it sounds from his end that he's been trying the "right way" for a couple of years, and that he was reassured that they were going to step up for him.

    I listened to this same debate for the last year regarding Jason Peters. Based on my experience, neither side here on this board is going to budge. But I suppose the debate is still worth having - that's almost all we can do.

  • After signing the NEW contract LAST YEAR, didn't he UNDER perform his contract? According to Aloysius, Cribbs was #16 in returns last year. I know injuries were sited but really. Crazy thought, after signing a NEW contract, OUTPERFORM it then ask.

  • After signing the NEW contract LAST YEAR, didn't he UNDER perform his contract? According to Aloysius, Cribbs was #16 in returns last year. I know injuries were sited but really. Crazy thought, after signing a NEW contract, OUTPERFORM it then ask.

    @dan-in-florida said:

    After signing the NEW contract LAST YEAR, didn't he UNDER perform his contract? According to Aloysius, Cribbs was #16 in returns last year. I know injuries were sited but really. Crazy thought, after signing a NEW contract, OUTPERFORM it then ask.

    Even if you prorate the $2m bonus he got at the inception of the new deal, he would go over $1,000,000 in only one of the next four years (the last year of his deal). You don't even think he's worth a million a year? The guy is making $600-700K a season. He is a good football player with a bad contract.

  • After signing the NEW contract LAST YEAR, didn't he UNDER perform his contract? According to Aloysius, Cribbs was #16 in returns last year. I know injuries were sited but really. Crazy thought, after signing a NEW contract, OUTPERFORM it then ask.

    @dan-in-florida said:

    After signing the NEW contract LAST YEAR, didn't he UNDER perform his contract? According to Aloysius, Cribbs was #16 in returns last year. I know injuries were sited but really. Crazy thought, after signing a NEW contract, OUTPERFORM it then ask.

    He signed the new deal before the 2007 season. Then, by yardage, had the best season of any returner in history (see bud's earlier link). That's exactly what youre asking for, so I assume youre on board now?

  • @dan-in-florida said:

    After signing the NEW contract LAST YEAR, didn't he UNDER perform his contract? According to Aloysius, Cribbs was #16 in returns last year. I know injuries were sited but really. Crazy thought, after signing a NEW contract, OUTPERFORM it then ask.

    Even if you prorate the $2m bonus he got at the inception of the new deal, he would go over $1,000,000 in only one of the next four years (the last year of his deal). You don't even think he's worth a million a year? The guy is making $600-700K a season. He is a good football player with a bad contract.

    @budcarson said:

    Even if you prorate the $2m bonus he got at the inception of the new deal, he would go over $1,000,000 in only one of the next four years (the last year of his deal). You don't even think he's worth a million a year? The guy is making $600-700K a season. He is a good football player with a bad contract.

    He JUST signed the deal last year. I didn't hold a gun to his head. His stats went down after that.

    Don't get me wrong...I LOVE THE GUY!

    What was the point of signing the contract last year?? Just curious.

  • @budcarson said:

    Even if you prorate the $2m bonus he got at the inception of the new deal, he would go over $1,000,000 in only one of the next four years (the last year of his deal). You don't even think he's worth a million a year? The guy is making $600-700K a season. He is a good football player with a bad contract.

    He JUST signed the deal last year. I didn't hold a gun to his head. His stats went down after that.

    Don't get me wrong...I LOVE THE GUY!

    What was the point of signing the contract last year?? Just curious.

    @dan-in-florida said:

    He JUST signed the deal last year. I didn't hold a gun to his head. His stats went down after that.

    Don't get me wrong...I LOVE THE GUY!

    What was the point of signing the contract last year?? Just curious.

    was last year 2006?

  • @dan-in-florida said:

    He JUST signed the deal last year. I didn't hold a gun to his head. His stats went down after that.

    Don't get me wrong...I LOVE THE GUY!

    What was the point of signing the contract last year?? Just curious.

    was last year 2006?

    @we-need-tom-tupa said:

    was last year 2006?

    November of 2006...I stand corrected on the date.

    Still the WRONG time to do this.