When Browns veterans report to training camp on July 31, expect to see specials team/experimental wide receiver Josh Cribbs in attendance.

Cribbs assured as much while on the air with Mark "Munch" Bishop of WKNR (AM-850) saying "No. 16 will be on the field, proudly." He said contract talks have not been furthered, but he's happy to have a job.

"I don't have the contract I would like, but nonetheless I have it better than others," he said.

Cribbs is in the first half a of a six-year, $6.77 million contract and wants it to be restructured. He's set to make a reasonable $690,000 this season.

Even as he's threatened to ask for a trade and skipped some "voluntary" workouts, he insists he wants to play for the Browns and will continue to work hard.

"I'm going to still play as hard as I can," he said. "I don't know any other way to play. I don't want to go anywhere else, I want to stay in Cleveland. I'm going to do everything I can physically and business-wise to stay in Cleveland because this is where I want to be. If something else happens, I don't think it's on me.

"I can't make every person understand my point of view and a lot of fans just don't understand the nature of football and the contract situations and everything. I'm just going to keep playing and I don't mind any fan express any point of view to me and I will respectfully converse with them. I want to see us win big and be a part of that when it happens. Hopefully that happens this year and I'm on that team."

You can listen to the entire interview here. The interview is about 20 minutes long, but worth the time. Cribbs talks some about his community involvement before getting into the contract situation.

What makes it so interesting is that Cribbs continually talks about wanting to play in Cleveland and being a hard worker. Moments later, though, he says that playing in the NFL was his dream, just not necessarily with the Browns.

He's clearly a conflicted player. It's hard to tell which is more important to him – the money or the opportunity. From the standpoint of a jaded Cleveland fan, it seems a little too much like the former.

The Waiting for Next Year guys take a look at Phil Dawson's holdout. They have a really good line in the item:

Judging by the lack of response to Dawson being MIA, I assume that fans feel that Josh Cribbs means a lot more to this team. But does he? Dawson converted 30 of his 36 attempts last season; he was 5-for-6 between the 40-49-yard range.

The question on who is more important between Cribbs and Dawson is an excellent one. I'm leaning toward saying Dawson is more important. Both are great special teams players, but someone like Cribbs might be more replaceable.

Browns special teams player Josh Cribbs plans on attending this week's minicamp, Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer is reporting.

Cribbs is in the first half a of a six-year, $6.77 million contract and wants it to be restructured. If its not, he said he would like to be traded.

Update from PFT:

Per a league source, the Browns indicated that, in order to address Cribbs’ contract, they need to examine first-hand his potential value to the team. And so, as a good-faith gesture, Cribbs has decided to participate in the voluntary sessions in order to give the new regime a fair opportunity to determine whether he’s worth significantly more than the long-term deal he signed in 2006. (Apparently, game film from 2007 and 2008 can’t be relied upon.)

That said, we’re sensing some skepticism in Cribbs’ camp regarding whether the Browns will show similar good faith in assessing his skills and deciding whether to increase his pay. And so there’s a chance that Cribbs’ stay will be a short one.

Notes…
There has been no indication either way on whether or not kicker Phil Dawson will attend this week. He also skipped the "voluntary" minicamp last week.

Terry Pluto of the PD had some excellent thoughts on Brady Quinn over the weekend.

A couple people emailed me Michael Silver's rant about the Browns from Yahoo Sports. I'll have some thoughts on that in a separate post later today or sometime tomorrow.

I wanted to spotlight a comment made by Mike Rasor, an Ohio.com blogging cohort. It's on the Cribbs situation. It's after the jump. Just something to think about. And make sure to always check out his Zips blog.

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The latest word out of Berea is that if Josh Cribbs isn't given a new contract he'll ask for a trade.

No surprise. That's how contract negotiations in professional sports work. However, when you start thinking more about the latest Browns nightmare, it's apparent how much the franchise has sunken.

Cribbs is an incredible special teams player. He has the ability to give the offense a new wrinkle. He's supposed to play on defense this year at strong safety or nickel cornerback. Heck, on the surface, he seems like a good guy who works hard.

But when you get right down to the facts, Cribbs is just a guy who excels on special teams. He flashes the ability to do more, but right now he's completely unproven as anything else.

So should Cribbs be in a position to ask for big-time money? Everyone would probably agree that the $620,000 Cribbs is scheduled to make in 2009 is a deal (relatively speaking). But what is the right number? Certainly it's not four years and $40 million like Devin Hester received from Chicago.

More importantly, should a special teams stalwart set contract renegotiation precedent for new regime?

Browns special teams ace Josh Cribbs is expected to skip (in)voluntary full-team minicamps beginning Tuesday. That is according to John Taylor of the Orange & Brown Report.

Cribbs' displeasure stems from the team not restructuring his contract after telling him all offseason it would be redone. Cribbs is set to make $620,000 in 2009, $635,000 in 2010, $650,000 in 2011, and $790,000 in 2012. Those numbers are from a six-year contract Cribbs signed prior to the 2007 season.

Mary Kay-Cabot of the Plain Dealer reports that Cribbs wants a deal similar to the Bears' Devin Hester. Last year he signed a four-year, $40 million with $15 million guaranteed.

While Cribbs has become the better special teams player, Hester caught 51 passes for 665 yards last season. Cribbs caught just two passes for 18 yards in 2008. He did figure in Cleveland's "Wildcat" scheme and rushed for 167 yards on 29 attempts. Cribbs, a good tackler on special teams, is also getting some consideration to play defense for the Browns this season.

Update – The Browns issued the following statement earlier:

Contrary to published reports this morning, no one from the current Browns organization, including Owner Randy Lerner, has ever made any promises to Josh Cribbs with regard to his contract status.

Yesterday the Pro Bowl rosters were announced, and two Browns made the roster.  Offensive tackle Joe Thomas and nose tackle Shaun Rogers are heading to Hawaii.

Rogers is not a surprise given his amazing play this year, but also the amount of talent at defensive tackle in the AFC.  The two starting tackles in front of, Albert Haynesworth and Kris Jenkins have both received press as possible Defensive Player of the Year honorees.  Haloti Ngata got the snub in Baltimore, along with Patriot Vince Wilfork.

To see Thomas make the roster as a starter is encouraging, but he's been less than stellar this season.  It's hard to match a season like Thomas had in 2007.  The Pro Bowl can be a glorified popularity contest though.  With Thomas getting the nod, it's a testament to the Browns overall national exposure, given their five nationally televised contests this year.

Four Browns made the Pro Bowl as alternates also:

Joshua Cribbs, KR/ST (First alternate) – His overall special teams play this year has been great.  Beating out a special teams ace like Brendon Ayanbadejo is tough though.  Ayanbadejo has a huge reputation for his special teams play.

Phil Dawson, K, (Second Alternate) – One of the Browns who's felt the harsh snub of the Pro Bowl during the team's horrendous years is Dawson.  In 2005 he was one of the best kickers in the NFL, but the team was so bad that he hardly was recognized.

D'Qwell Jackson, ILB, (Third Alternate) – Leading the NFL in tackles has boosted Jackson's name.  He is the Browns best defensive player outside of Rogers in the front seven.

Eric Steinbach, OG, (Third Alternate) – Being named a third alternate hardly guarantees a trip to Hawaii, and Steinbach likely made the list based on name recognition.  He's a high profile guard who's played decent football this season, when healthy.

Roster News

Tight end Steve Heiden and inside linebacker Beau Bell were placed on IR today.  Heiden tore his ACL in the loss on Monday, and Bell will have his problematic knee scoped.  To replace them, the Browns signed former Raiders tight end John Madsen, and then elevated rookie sixth round wide receiver Paul Hubbarb to the active roster.

Madsen has a nice pedigree as a receiving tight end, which makes me wonder if this is another way of keeping rookie Martin Rucker off the field?  Given how things have gone this year, I wouldn't be surprised to Madsen not only on the active roster this week, but also getting extensive playing time.

While Hubbard was the talk of camp, don't expect much production.  He will likely be inactive for the last two games, despite the team's lack of depth at receiver.

Michigan Man

This quote from Braylon Edwards speaks for itself.

"It is what it is … I've learned since being here that I'm very unappreciated. Not by the organization, just in the eyes of the fans and the city. Since Day One, I've been a marked man coming from Michigan. It's just gone that way."

Bud Shaw handles this subject appropriately.  Even the most rabid of Browns/Buckeyes fans don't seem to care about where Edwards comes from.  Most fans DO care about the fact that Edwards continues to drop passes, play unenthusiastic football, and be upset when the team is losing.

No word on if Shantee Orr feels the same way as Edwards.

On the prospects of Joshua Cribbs seeing time at quarterback, here is what Derek Anderson had to say:

"We're not putting Josh in. You guys [must be] on crack, smoking crack. [Just] because we're playing bad doesn't mean we're going to put a receiver at quarterback."

Well, that was certainly an odd thing to say. First, Cribbs maybe shouldn't be considered a receiver at all. He only has two catches this year. He's just a football player.

Second, those crackhead reporters should pass the rock to Rob Chudzinski and Romeo Crennel then. What else do the Browns have to lose? More games? That's going to happen anyway. A reputation? That's gone already.

Maybe with Cribbs at quarterback, the fans have something to have fun with. Or the team could find a gadget play to use next year with Cribbs at quarterback. Because, let's face it, when Cribbs has been lining up at quarterback in Wildcat formations, it hasn't really worked.