Browns Not Trading Cribbs

NFL News - October 17th, 2009 - Written by John

Thus comes the perks of being one of the worst teams in your respective sports. When the season seems all but lost, other general managers come scavenging for your wares, hoping to strike a trade with the lure of draft picks and fresh bodies.

The Cleveland Browns have rarely been relevant in the past two years and fans are beginning to wonder what the team can get for their few talented players. The Browns, however, have apparently become a lot more reserved about their current players, were the possibility of winning a couple games to come around. After dealing away wide receiver Braylon Edwards to the Jets, Browns head coach Eric Mangini addressed a new wave or rumors on Thursday, telling reporters that he has no intention of humoring a trade for special teams sensation Josh Cribbs.

He already denied reports that the teams was shopping Brady Quinn before the October 20 trade deadline, although the quarterback's house was just put up for sale.

There appears to be a high demand for Cribbs. ProFootballTalk let out a story on Wednesday that the Miami Dolphins were "showing interest" in the two-time Pro Bowler and that Cribbs was open to the idea. His functionality as not only a return man, but a receiver and running back, too, has made him an attractive target and other teams are jumping on-board. NFL.com suggests that the Colts, Chiefs, Raiders, Jaguars and 49ers have also phoned their interest.

Poppycock, said Mangini. The team would have no justification to it's fans if they dealt their entire collection of star (semi-star?) players. Cribbs has been a lone bright spot in which the punter has become the team MVP, having returned on punt for a touchdown, while leading the NFL in both kick return yards (522) and punt return yards (260).

On Thursday, Cribbs' agent stirred the pot even more when he said the franchise was being unfair to his client.

"It is unfair for the Browns to hold Joshua back," agent J.R. Rickert told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "They should either give him an extension or allow another team to acquire him. Their current position of doing nothing is no longer fair or appropriate. We are asking them to give him the extension he's earned."

He has been open to the idea of a trade when it became apparent that management was not yet interested in signing him to an extension. He is in the middle of a six-year deal he signed in 2006, but feels he has outperformed it so far. He believed owner Randy Lerner promised him said extension last December but has shown a reluctance to do so.

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