Josh Cribbs Has Proven His Worth Again, but Will the Browns Pay Him?

Josh Cribbs absolutely lit up the coast of Lake Erie with his spectacular play in the first quarter against the Detroit Lions on Saturday night.

His play versus the Lions completely changed the momentum of the game right out of the gates.

On the opening kickoff he returned it 95 yards for a score, but too bad it was called back by a holding penalty on Abram Elam.

Then a little bit later, he returned a punt 86 yards for a touchdown.

Cribbs also caught a laser pass for 20 yards and by the end of the first quarter his night was done.

Cribbs has said that he wants a new contract extension and that he is looking for money somewhere in between what Chicago's Devin Hester is making and what Buffalo's Roscoe Parrish is getting paid.

His agent has said that Cribbs is planing on sitting out the regular season if his contract does not get re-done.

Do the Browns really want to sacrifice a game-changing player, like Cribbs, who can single-handedly create momentum for the entire Browns team and is learning the wide receiver position so fast that he is a contender for the No. 2 starter?

I have said in the past that I do not like when players back out on a contract that they already signed, but there are very few occasions where a player easily outperforms his current contract and he is more valuable with the team than not with the team.

There have been many other writers and sportscasters that have said the same thing in the last several months and here are a few examples.

The voice of the Browns, Jim Donovan, said during Saturday's game against the Lions to re-negotiate Cribbs' contract.

James Walker, of ESPN.com, wrote that Cribbs has outperformed his contract.

Jamie Dukes, of NFL Network, even ranked Cribbs as his No. 1 return man in the NFL over Devin Hester, and said that Cribbs deserves to get a new extension.

I understand where the Browns' management stands with telling players that they have to play out their current contracts, but can Randy Lerner and Eric Mangini really afford to lose a talent like Cribbs with the limited talent that is currently on the team now?

What needs to be considered is what is best for the team.

Are the Browns better or worse, with and without Cribbs?

Losing Cribbs is like losing Shaun Rogers on the defense and that can't happen because those are the type of guys just seem to make everyone around them a better player and competitor.

Bottom line Cribbs says he will hold out during the regular season, but he is such the competitor and athlete, will he really follow through or will he go against his agent and just play anyway?

With the start of the season less than three weeks away, hopefully the Browns will pay Cribbs what he deserves, or Cribbs will have a change of heart and play out the season with the hope that he will get his extension before the 2010 season begins.

I'm crossing my fingers that this get straighten out and Cribbs continues to wear an orange helmet.

(Article originally posted on Dawg Scooper: An Unofficial Cleveland Browns News Source)