Cleveland Browns: 12 best UDFAs since 1999

Cleveland Browns UDFA No. 4: Josh Cribbs, returner, receiver, QB, RB, class of 2005

Josh Cribbs is the Summa Cum Laude undrafted free agent, coming to the Browns, about an hour’s drive away from the Kent State Golden Flashes, where he starred as a quarterback. Like Lamar Jackson, he was a two-way threat, gaining over 1,000 yards on the ground in two separate seasons while also throwing for over 7,000 yards in a four-year career for the Golden Flashes.

Yet his 40-yard dash time did not jazz the scouts that much at 4.55 seconds.

Looking at films of Cribbs, his “game speed” appears to be way faster than 4.55 seconds. He just blows past people like they are standing still and once he accelerates, he cannot be caught.

The way he changes directions, to these uneducated eyes he does not look like 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, either. He looks a lot like Greg “Do It!” Pruitt, who was 5-10 and 190 pounds, who would regularly leave scorch marks on the turf of Cleveland Municipal Stadium when he would change directions.

Defenders would be faked out of their jocks trying to catch him. The same effect was caused by Eric Metcalf at exactly the same size. And don’t even get me started on the Ice Cube, Gerald McNeil, who claimed to be 5-7 (probably a lie), and only 145 pounds. Cribbs had that kind of maneuvering ability. As they say, it’s not how fast you can run, it’s how fast you can stop.

One of the highlights of his career had to be the game on December 20, 2009, at Kansas City in which he took two kickoffs coast-to-coast versus the Chiefs, the same game in which Jerome Harrison ran wild and broke Jim Brown’s single-game record for rushing yards with an amazing 286 yards.

Another highlight came against the Steelers, on November 11, 2007, when he flubbed the kickoff, picked it up at the goal line, and then took it all the way to the house. He had a 90-yard return earlier in that same game.

Cribbs took eight kickoffs and three punts to the house in his career. Why did teams even kick to him? This is a serious question. Teams probably should have just tried the on-sides kick or gone for it on fourth down. At least in that case there is a chance something good might happen. Kicking to Cribbs was assuming a major risk of a big play or a special team’s score.

Cribbs was All-Pro twice and made the Pro Bowl three times. In this fan’s opinion, he should have been used more as a wide receiver and situational running back as well. He also played quarterback in the so-called Wildcat formation (it was basically a two-back spread formation, with a commitment to running the ball).

Let’s get real. Just who did the Browns have that was in his way on the depth chart? Looking at his career numbers, both his running numbers and receiving numbers were outstanding. So why not let him play?

Cribbs was continually agitating for a chance to play, but the Browns coaching staff just would not let him, on the grounds that he was too valuable as a return man. Finally, at age 28, the Browns gave him a legitimate shot at wide receiver and he had a very good year with 518 receiving yards and a catch percentage of 61.2%. 12.6 yards per reception was not half bad.

Still, 28 is rather late to be developing the unique skills to play wide receiver at the level of an NFL starter. The Browns might have had another Bobby Mitchell on their hands, had they let him play five years earlier, who knows?