Mike Holmgren Connects With Joshua Cribbs, Says No QB Competition

Cleveland Browns President of Football Operations, Mike Holmgren, said this morning on Dan Patrick's radio show that he has re-opened negotiations with the team’s best player, Joshua Cribbs.

Holmgren also said there will be no quarterback competition going into training camp this summer.

“They’re both here right now,” said Holmgren of Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. “We'll see how it goes. I'm not a big believer in that competition stuff. We better make up our minds before we go to camp and then put our resources into one guy." 

This should come as a relief for the legion of Browns fans who suffered through last year’s quarterback competition which ultimately resulted in neither quarterback being ready for the season and Quinn getting benched after 10 quarters.

With Cribbs contract situation still up in the air, Holmgren noted the situation was filled with “animosity” upon his arrival but that he has reached out to Cribbs’ camp to get a dialogue flowing again.

It also helps that former lead contract negotiator Dawn Aponte no longer works for the Browns and future negotiations will be with Holmgren’s people. How much Aponte's stance on Cribbs' contract before Holmgren arrived is unknown, but Cribbs' agents certainly communicated to the public that they were unhappy with it.

The end result of these two statements by Holmgren is very positive for the team and for the fans who religiously follow them. Holmgren is setting a course for the biggest position on the team, and making positive moves regarding its most valuable and popular player.

One of Mangini’s biggest mistakes last year was allowing the quarterback competition to completely consume the preseason, ensuring the offense wasn’t ready to go. Combine that with a rookie offensive coordinator who clearly was in over his head, and it’s no wonder the Browns were playing near historical depths of ineptitude on the offensive side of the ball.

Whether the Browns trade for a veteran quarterback, or go through the draft, it will be nice to see the team focused on getting ready for the regular season this August, instead of trying to play mind games with opposing defensive coordinator’s who aren’t really worried to begin with.

No matter who takes the snaps behind center, the fans can take solace in the fact the team is one step closer to keeping Cribbs in Orange and Brown for many years to come, running back punts and kicks, leaving the opposition in his dust.