No Joshing About It

[CLEVELandMILIDH]

No Joshing About It, Cleveland's Josh Cribbs Could See Time at Safety

By Nicholas Galizio (Contributor) on August 8, 2010

 

 

Things never get stale for Joshua Cribbs.

 

The Cleveland Browns current kick returner/punt returner/special teams gunner/wide receiver/WildDawg quarterback/WildDawg running back obviously has plenty of job titles in the NFL.

 

There’s so many slashes in there, you might as well just call him slash.

 

Wait a second…I’m not even going there. My apologies Mr. Cribbs and fellow Browns' fans. It won’t happen again.

 

Fancy schmancy nickname or not, Josh Cribbs might add yet another position to his already full arsenal—this time on defense.

 

Defense you ask? Who does he think he is, Troy Brown? That’s preposterous. Actually, don’t be so sure about that.

 

Word has it from Daniel Wolf that he was utilized as a safety during Cleveland’s Brown and White Scrimmage on August 7.

 

It’s difficult to tell if this is good or bad news since it all depends on how you look at it. Is Cleveland’s safety situation still that bad, or has Cribbs simply been studying in the off-season for yet another opportunity at a new position? Time will tell.

 

 

 

Measurables? Check.

 

At 6’1” 215 lbs, Cribbs has perfect strong safety size and would be a headache for opposing receivers looking to get a clean break off the line. He also does a good job of weaving through traffic when the ball is actually in his hands, so it’s safe to assume that he can do the exact same thing on the other side of the ball while blitzing.

 

He also plays on special teams defensively and is widely regarded as one of the best special teams gunners in the league. Tackling is not unorthodox for him—he’s actually quite good at it.

 

A couple of seasons ago, there was a small contingent of Browns' fans who thought Cribbs should be given a chance at safety, myself included. With his size, speed, and physical style of play, it seemed to be a sure thing in the eyes of some folks, especially when he was being used scarcely on offense by Romeo Crennel.

 

It was exciting when Eric Mangini tried him out as a safety last year, but when it didn't pan out, the situation was understandable because it was going to be a lot on Cribbs' plate.

 

He would have had to learn a new offense under a new coaching staff as a WR, soak up and master plays out of the Flash package, and comprehend defensive schemes on top of that. It was just too much all at once. Something had to be cut out.

 

 

 

Embracing The Possibilities

 

After a year of absorbing all of the offensive information, Josh Cribbs looks poised to welcome his possible new role on the other side of the ball.

 

When asked about his time on defense during the scrimmage, Cribbs replied,

 

"I don't want to put my foot in my mouth, but coach really likes me back there and wants to give me a shot. I want to take advantage of the opportunity every chance I get."

 

At least he’s willing, but that is, never has been, and probably never will be the question. The issue at hand here is whether or not this is going to be overkill.

 

With his continued progress at WR and seeing how successful he was in the option game, it’s easy for anyone to realize that he's the kind of guy that quite simply needs the ball in his hands. This is when he’s at his absolute best and his record-breaking ability as a kick returner is complete proof of this notion.

 

Simply put, the man is electric. Boogie woogie woogie.

 

 

 

Not So Fast My Friend

 

When the thought of him playing at safety full-time crosses your mind, go right ahead and cross it out.

 

Putting him primarily on defense will take him too far out of his current comfort zone. Even playing there part-time would only hinder his productivity on offense. He’s just become too good of a versatile weapon toting the rock.

 

But…and this is a big but, playing as a safety on a purely situational basis sounds like a much more intelligent and resourceful move. Think along the lines of a few plays a game.

 

Circle that statement, because this is what Browns fans should expect to see.

 

Even at the age of 27, Josh Cribbs is still learning as a wide receiver. When you take into account the fact that he was a running back growing up, a quarterback throughout high school, and a QB for four years in college, it's easy to see why it's taken him awhile.

 

A large portion of the receivers in the NFL have played the position for three to four years collegiately, then it usually takes two to three years until they put up breakout-type numbers in the NFL.

 

If those same players were also receivers in high school, then they have even more overall experience. In other words, they had plenty of time to learn all the nuances and memorize certain tricks of the trade—something Cribbs never got a chance to do.

 

These types of guys have had probably six to seven years of receiving experience before they even enter the NFL…maybe more.

 

Cribbs had zero, zilch, nada.

 

 

 

Don't Pick The Fruit Before it's Ripe

 

As a rookie wide receiver back in 2005, Cribbs was...well...basically fresh out of the crib. He was a baby learning to crawl.

 

During his tenure in Cleveland, Romeo Crennel used Cribbs very sparingly at WR, so he didn't get much experience early on in his career. This is the most critical stage of a baby's development! How could Crennel neglect an infant like that? He's pure evil!

 

All joking aside—that’s meant to be a semi-serious statement.

 

So, when overall receiving experience is factored into the equation, 2010 is going to be Cribbs' sixth total season as a WR, which should be the year that he gets this receiver thing down. This of course is said with absolute optimism, but the statistics regarding receiving production are fairly distinct.

 

It sounds strange, but when it comes down to the potential of being a legitimate NFL receiver, it’s still too soon to write him off.

 

 

 

Prosperity Still on The Horizon

 

Speaking of which, in terms of being an all-around productive WR, Cribbs is getting noticeably closer to perfecting his craft. The word from various sources is that Cribbs’ route-running and overall ability at the position has looked much better and smoother than in years past.

 

He’s always been a very willing blocker and was a reason why the Browns had so many running plays go for huge chunks of yardage during their four-game winning streak last year.

 

Why blow up his progression now when he's so close, and basically start all over with something completely new and totally foreign to him like playing on defense full-time?

 

Not to say he can't play safety exclusively, it’s just the thought of Cribbs being sort of a defensive specialist from time to time is a much more tempting proposition. There are pass-rushing specialists along defensive lines and throughout linebacking crews across the league. Why not occasionally have a pass-rushing specialist on third down from the secondary?

 

It makes perfect sense, especially when that player is Josh Cribbs. He’s taken on every single role bestowed upon him and has run away with all of them…literally. How is this any different?

 

He can still do everything he’s doing now offensively, in addition to having a potential impact on defense. There’s nothing wrong with having your cake and eating it too, especially when that cake is the result of being the starting kick returner on the NFL’s most recent all-decade team.

 

Or would this be the icing on the cake? Nah…that would be his success as an option quarterback. Could it possibly be the side of ice cream? Let’s just call Cribbs “á la mode” from now on.

 

Why am I suddenly getting hungry?

 

 

 

Outlook Moderation

 

There are still a few doubts and concerns, but something in the air indicates he’ll ultimately succeed at this career venture as well. It’s definitely exciting, but overall expectations need to be tempered just a bit, because defense is a completely different ballgame. Don’t anticipate him becoming the next Eric Turner overnight, because it‘s not happening.

 

If there’s a future for him in the secondary, it’s most likely going to take some time and patience from both the coaches and the fan base.

 

Although, if he comes right in and shows great instincts in the defensive backfield, it wouldn’t be a surprise either. Nothing he does is surprising anymore.

 

 

 

The "What if?" Game

 

It’s also interesting to wonder how exactly this came to fruition.

 

Maybe Cribbs studied up in the off-season on defensive assignments which surprised both Eric Mangini and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Maybe this was the coaching staff's plan all along and are hoping it stays under the radar for the season.

 

Or, perhaps this was a one-time thing solely being used just to perplex the Cleveland media. Wouldn’t that be ironically humorous in a “thanks for the warm welcome last year” sort of way?

 

Earlier I mentioned 'icing on the cake'. Well, this scenario would take the cake.

 

Hearsay, conjecture, and cake talk aside, it's something new and exciting for Cleveland fans and can further entrench Josh Cribbs as one of the best all-around football players in the league—even though he‘s pretty much earned that reputation already.

 

There really might not be anything Josh Cribbs can't do

[Brownsfan_Althaus]

dang, i never thought of him playing safety.

maybe we will put him as our center next!

[ballpeen]

I was saying the Browns should be testing him there 2-3 years ago.

 

Since the scrimmage is over, did he play any at safety??

[Gips]

Ive been saying for 2 years josh should be "seriously" tried out as a safety he has the natural prototypical build of a brutal safety either free or strong..he has great ballhawking instinct, perfect speed and is a hard tackler that would help stuff the run or throw a big wrench in opposing teams passing plans..given some time to learn and develop the fine art of being a truly effective DB i have no doubt JC would quickly become one of the leagues best safeties then leaving us without a dedicated return man...argg we need at least 6 josh cribbs on this team!

[CLEVELandMILIDH]

Coach finds another spot to play Cribbs

By Nate Ulrich

Beacon Journal sports writer

 

CLEVELAND: At this rate, Josh Cribbs will be kicking field goals and punting by the end of the season.

 

After all, those are about the only duties he has not yet dabbled in during his career with the Browns.

 

On Saturday, Cribbs continued to redefine his versatility when he lined up at safety for one play during his team's intrasquad scrimmage at Cleveland Browns Stadium. In his lone appearance on defense, Cribbs blitzed and later noted he would have had a sack if he had been playing in a real game instead of an exhibition in which tackling was prohibited.

 

Cribbs is already known as one of the top return men in the NFL. He's also well-versed in making special-teams tackles, and running back, quarterback and wide receiver are on his resume, too.

 

But safety?

 

''I don't want to put my foot in my mouth, but Coach really likes me back there, and he wants to give me a shot,'' Cribbs said. ''So I'm gonna take advantage of the opportunity when it comes.''

 

Cribbs will receive plenty of chances this season, especially when it comes to making plays on offense. A member of the White team in Saturday's scrimmage against the Brown team, Cribbs took a snap out of the WildDawg formation and ran for 14 yards during his squad's first offensive play from scrimmage.

 

Although the White team suffered a 14-6 loss, Cribbs finished with five catches for 29 yards and two carries for 15 yards.

 

''The more times you get the ball in his hands, the more chances he has of making explosive plays,'' Browns coach Eric Mangini said. ''You saw some of the things that we'll do with him, and I'm sure we'll do a lot more as well.''

 

Of Cribbs' five receptions, four came from quarterback Seneca Wallace, who's expected to play a significant role this season, even though Jake Delhomme is favored to become the team's starter. Cribbs and Wallace give the Browns plenty of options when they're on the field together, especially when they appear in the WildDawg at the same time.

 

''With me and Josh Cribbs both being back there, it can be really exciting,'' said Wallace, who completed 17-of-23 passes for 152 yards Saturday. ''Obviously, he's gonna make his plays.

 

''It can be a run. He can throw it. I can be back there. I can throw it to him, or we can run a reverse, whatever. The sky is the limit for both of us on the field at the same time.''

 

During the offseason, the Browns traded a 2011 draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Wallace. The move allowed Browns President Mike Holmgren to acquire a player with whom he built a relationship during his days with the Seattle Seahawks, and it gave Cribbs a new running mate.

 

''It's like none other,'' Cribbs said of his connection with Wallace. ''You've got two quarterbacks out there just [having fun] and playing football, and that's what it's all about. I look for him to throw me the ball, and he looks for me to catch it. That's the chemistry that we're getting in practice, and it's gonna [transfer to] the game as well.''

 

Obviously, Cribbs and Wallace share respect for one another. But both players know they have yet to unlock their full potential as a one-two punch.

 

''There's always gonna be some bugs to work out,'' Wallace said. ''Obviously, that's why we have training camp — to work out some of those bugs. Since we've started training camp, me and him [have] been on the same page. But obviously, there's a lot of room for improvement.''

[cdl15]

I've been saying he should be playing saftey since his first game as WR and he sucked at it, yea he SUCKS at WR. He is a ball hawk, one of the best tacklers on the team, fast enough and could you imagine him picking one off against and returning it against the offense it would be a for sure TD.

 

Mangini and MH are making a believer out of myself cause they are setting this team up the way i said it should of been set up a long time ago. Could of saved alot of time if Learner would of replied to my emails.

 

HOF kickoff returners don't go into their 30's returning kicks need to find that boy a position and WR will NEVER EVER be his position. He'd make a much better running back

[maddogg7888]

Anyone who doesn't believe Cribbs is the most versatile player in the NFL is on crack. The guy isn't a WR or returner, he is a FOOTBALL PLAYER. The guy has the athletic ability, drive, and head on his shoulders to play almost any position on a football team. You could take away Lebron James 100 times before I'd want cribbs gone. We are so lucky to have this guy on our roster.

[Gafreleets]

Anyone who doesn't believe Cribbs is the most versatile player in the NFL is on crack. The guy isn't a WR or returner, he is a FOOTBALL PLAYER. The guy has the athletic ability, drive, and head on his shoulders to play almost any position on a football team. You could take away Lebron James 100 times before I'd want cribbs gone. We are so lucky to have this guy on our roster.

 

 

 

seriously?

 

 

not to knock him for what he is (one of the best ST players of all time and a mediocre WR/RB).

 

 

but seriously?

 

 

good news for the Steelers if he actually lands the position. BAD news for you guys.

[DawgTracker]

I also think Josh has the skills to be a good safety. The problem imho is that if you are going to use him at returner, receiver and WildDawg he can only be a 3rd and more than 15 type of guy. Even then you better have someone else returning punts because Josh could be running a long sprint right before the punt. The last thing we want is for him to be hurt because he was tired

[roach]

I was saying the Browns should be testing him there 2-3 years ago.

 

Since the scrimmage is over, did he play any at safety??

 

i didn't call for this 2 or 3 years ago, but i did last year. He seems most comfortable when he is facing the action (KO returns, KO coverage, punt returns, QB in the Wilddawg, etc.). He's never looked comfortable looking back for the ball at WR. Safety would be perfect, Heck, we know he can tackle. The only question mark (and a big one) is can he cover?

[ballpeen]

i didn't call for this 2 or 3 years ago, but i did last year. He seems most comfortable when he is facing the action (KO returns, KO coverage, punt returns, QB in the Wilddawg, etc.). He's never looked comfortable looking back for the ball at WR. Safety would be perfect, Heck, we know he can tackle. The only question mark (and a big one) is can he cover?

 

 

I have a feeling he can....the kid is just a gamer.

 

He doesn't need Haden coverage skills as a safety usually isn't pinned to the best receiver who can beat him with speed alone. A safety is usually against a guy he can beat in a race, so any lost ground due to lack of coverage skills can usually be made up with superior speed against some TE as an example.

 

 

You are right about facing the action....he is great there...and that is what a safety does...it isn't like corner with their back to the action a great deal of the time until the last moment.

 

[The Gipper]

seriously?

 

 

not to knock him for what he is (one of the best ST players of all time and a mediocre WR/RB).

 

 

but seriously?

 

 

good news for the Steelers if he actually lands the position. BAD news for you guys.

 

I understand what you are saying. You are saying if Cribbs is put back at safety that would mean the safeties we do have on the roster are crap and not getting the job done.

That is logical, but I see a different spin on it. Cribbs would only be in at safety in certain specialty situations where his talents could be utilized, like 3rd or 4th and really long, or in like "Hail Mary" like situations. He could certainly handle himself back there on those occasions.