Cleveland Browns, Josh Cribbs Have Right to Be Upset With New NFL Kickoff Rule

According to a Friday post by Michael David Smith of NBC Sports Pro Football Talk, Cleveland Browns kick return specialist Josh Cribbs is unhappy with the NFL's new rule, which moved the spot of the ball on kickoffs from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line.

Smith reported seeing more touchbacks while watching the first night of preseason action Thursday night, and so did Cribbs.

Cribbs tweeted the following on Thursday night:

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"I see an immediate amendment on the kickoff rule either [before] the end of the year or beginning of next year [because] without that part of the return game it might as well be a scrimmage."

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Like Smith said Friday, the rule was put in place for player safety and to lower the amount of violent collisions on kickoff returns by restricting the amount of kickoffs in general.

Still, just as Smith points out, San Diego Chargers return man Bryan Walters returned a kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter of San Diego's game against the Seattle Seahawks.

So the rule hasn't exactly turned the game into a "scrimmage" like Cribbs claims but does diminish the value of a talented return man like Cribbs.

Cribbs has 10 return touchdowns dating back to 2005, including eight kickoff return touchdowns. 2010 was the only season in which Cribbs failed to score on a kick return.

The Cleveland Browns wide receiver and Chicago's electrifying return man Devin Hester may be two of the few players in the league actually affected negatively by the new rule.

Return men will take less of a beating from kick coverage teams, and kickers will rack up better touchback numbers, but Cribbs, a player that is more valuable as a returner than a receiver, will get fewer opportunities to make his mark on the game.

The rule doesn't make the game safer because it doesn't eliminate kickoffs. Eliminate kickoffs, eliminate violent collisions and injuries, eliminate football.

Players will still take hits, and they will still get injured, so in the end, the rule is simply attempting to play the percentages of kicking off five yards closer and limit the same pad-popping hits the league glorifies through its reputation.

Cribbs doesn't understand it, and neither do I.

Patrick Clarke is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow on Twitter @_Pat_Clarke