Browns' Josh Cribbs Set to Skip OTAs, Wants New Deal

The offseason workouts, before training camps start in late July, are when players not fully committed to holding out send up the "I'm thinking about asking for more money" trial balloons. It usually involves missing organized team activities (OTAs), most of which are technically voluntary.

A typical scenario might go something like this: the player's agent lets the front office know his client wants more dough; while the front office decides its next move, the player skips the shorts-and-T-shirts workouts in May and June to show he's sorta serious; and then, as the season approaches, the player makes one last plea for a new deal, and if he's rebuffed, promptly shows up for training camp. Because there's a difference between taking a stand and taking a stand without pay.

Browns wide receiver/returner Josh Cribbs is the former, at least for now. Via the Orange and Brown Report:

Barring an unexpected and unforeseen change of heart over the next 24 hours or so, Josh Cribbs will not be participating in the first "voluntary" full-team minicamp of the Eric Mangini Era, multiple sources have told The OBR. ... a source familiar with the situation tells The OBR that talks between the two sides on a new deal "have gone nowhere. Absolutely nowhere." The last time the Browns spoke to Rickert regarding Cribbs' contract was a week ago.

The OBR's John Taylor points out that Cribbs, who signed a six-year, $6 million extension just before the 2007 season, isn't necessarily looking for a raise right now, just "progress in the talks." Taylor adds: "The biggest source of Cribbs' consternation with the state of his current contract is the fact that he was promised by owner Randy Lerner, ex-general manager Phil Savage and ex-head coach Romeo Crennel on multiple occasions last year that the Pro Bowler "would be taken care of" following the 2008 season. "

Which prompted the Browns to release the following statement:

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.

So the franchise may or may not have promised Cribbs a new deal. Got it. But we can all agree that a) he wants more money, b) he'll probably skip voluntary workouts to emphasize that point, and c) show up for training camp whether he gets a pay bump or not.

If Cribbs has any leverage it's this: he's a dangerous returner and the Browns, as currently constituted, could rely heavily on special teams to win the field position battle (and improve their chance of winning a few more games). Because if the plan is for a historically suspect defense, or an unproven quarterback and an inconsistent group of wideouts to take the team from four-win laughingstocks to respectability, well, Cribbs' contract isn't the biggest issue facing this group.