Josh Cribbs' Contract Saga: Everyone Be Patient and His Hypothetical Trade Value

Cleveland Browns star returner Josh Cribbs has been patient for two straight years while proving his worth to the team with the hope that the Browns will extended his contract and give him more money for all of his efforts.

A Contract Offer Blown Out of Proportion, but Patience is Key

Finally, Browns new president Mike Holmgren said last week that he wants to keep Cribbs on the team and he gave the green light for the Browns to start negotiations with the playmaker.

But what happens next was unexpected by everyone, including Cribbs.

The Browns offer Cribbs an increase that would pay him $1.4 million per year, which is an increase of the $620,000 he made in 2009.

What is sad is that the offer should have been more like $4 million per year, but this is a negotiation. Despite Cribbs and his agent's overreaction (which is understandable), there is no reason they should have gone public with their complaints.

This could cause a problem in the whole "getting a new deal" process, but Browns fans and Cribbs need to settle down because this is only a first offer.

A second offer will most likely be made, but there are other priorities that Holmgren needs to focus on, like hiring a general manger, a scouting director, and a scouting team.

The scouting department is important to get into place immediately because the NFL Combine starts on Feburary 24, right around the corner.

Once Holmgren hires the rest of his front office staff, then he will have some time to spend with Cribbs and make another offer to the Pro Bowl returner.

What Trade Value Does a Team Put on a Pro Bowl Returner? (Hypothetical)

But what if the Browns want to trade Cribbs because his overreaction is seen as an issue in Holmgren's eyes?

What would the Browns value Cribbs at in drafts picks?

In this hypothetical situation, all you have to do is look at the Arizona Cardinals and their receiver Anquan Boldin during 2008.

Boldin, who is under contract until the end of the 2010 season, asked to be either compensated with a new contract that was more comparable to what fellow teammate and receiver Larry Fitzgerald received in 2008 (four years, $40 million, $30 million guaranteed), or get traded to another team.

Since Boldin was under contract, the Cardinals held all of the cards in the matter and decided to overvalue their receiver because they could.

They wanted two first-round picks in a trade for Boldin, hoping that another team would be desperate enough to take the deal, but no one jumped at the offer.

There were other teams offering first and second-round picks in the trade, but the Cardinals knew that Boldin was more of a value on their roster unless they could get two first-round picks for him.

The point here is that the Browns hold all of the cards with Cribbs under contract for three more years. If they wanted to put a price on him, it would be an overvalued price to see if there is a team desperate enough to take the deal and give up two first-round picks.

There may not be another team willing to take the deal, but one of the hottest commodities in the NFL right now is to have a star returner on the roster, especially a two-time Pro Bowl returner.

Is an asking price of two first round picks ridiculous? Of course it is, but even the Cardinals asked this price for their three-time Pro Bowler, so it doesn't seem too far off of an asking price for Cribbs who is a two-time Pro Bowler.

Will the Browns make another offer to keep Cribbs? Definitely.

Will the Browns overvalue their returner if a deal cannot be made? Definitely.

The worst that can happen in this scenario is that Cribbs will hold out and not play in 2010. But that not only hurts his value with other teams, it also will be very difficult for a competitor like Cribbs to just not play the game he loves.

Holmgren is a very smart man and he will do what's best for the team.

(Article also posted on Dawg Scooper)