Has Cribbs earned his pact raise?

The disgruntled Browns returner is showing he can be a big part of the offense.

By MARY KAY CABOT

The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND — Now that Joshua Cribbs has proven he can play wide receiver — perhaps even start there — the Browns can easily justify giving him the new deal he’s seeking before the start of the regular season.

When Cribbs first stressed to the new folks that he wanted to renegotiate, they had no evidence he could be anything more than a special teams star and gadget-play specialist.

Now, he’s a serious contender for the No. 2 receiver job opposite Braylon Edwards — and he’s been the Browns’ most dynamic player in preseason.

If the new staff was concerned that all that time at wide receiver might hurt Cribbs as a kick returner, he’s crashed through that theory.

Cribbs came out in the first preseason game in Green Bay and served notice to the NFL that he’s to be taken seriously as a wide out.

Starting at receiver opposite Edwards, he caught two passes, including one for 22 yards after stiff-arming a defender for extra yards. He also gained 29 yards on an end-around, by far the longest run of the night.

The next week against Detroit, Cribbs let opponents know that they better not let their guard down on kick returns. He took the opening kickoff back 95 yards for a TD — wiped out by a holding call — and then got the six points back about five minutes later when he returned a punt 84 yards for a score.

Playing as the slot receiver that week, he also caught a 20-yard pass over the middle from Derek Anderson.

Saturday night against the Titans, Cribbs started again at receiver, catching an 18-yarder from Brady Quinn against the blitz and another 13-yarder. He also peeled off a 42-yard kickoff return.

Afterwards, Cribbs wouldn’t predict he’s wrapped up the receiver job “because we have two very talented rookies who could step in there in front of me anytime.”

But he did allow that he’s made a strong case for himself and made a believer out of some of his critics.

But has he made believers out of the Browns?

Coach Eric Mangini appreciates the ways Cribbs can terrorize an opponent. But would he endorse a big financial commitment?

Cribbs’ detractors say the Browns can’t give him a new deal because they’ll have half the team lined up behind him with their hands out.

But none of them have hands like Cribbs, ones that can catch, throw and even intercept passes if and when they get around to playing him on defense.

Cribbs is one of few players on the team who strikes fear in the opponent — and he can become a triple-threat as soon as this season.

With the way things are going in the Browns’ secondary, with Brodney Pool out indefinitely with a possible concussion and the nickel back job still up for grabs, the Browns can probably use him there.

Cribbs’ agent, J.R. Rickert, said Sunday that he’s still having positive dialogue with the team, but that both sides are holding their ground.

Rickert feels Cribbs has outperformed the extension he signed before becoming a Pro Bowler. The Browns are maintaining that he’s under contract until 2012.

As for whether or not Cribbs will hold out at the start of the season or ask to be traded, Rickert said, “It’s very hard to predict. The best thing we can do is continue to talk.”

He also said Cribbs has a renewed love of the game and is enjoying playing for the new regime.

“Josh has prepared so hard for this camp and it’s really showing on the field,” Rickert said. “For him, it’s about the love of the game more than anything.”

He stressed Cribbs is “the captain of this ship and at the end of the day, he’ll make the ultimate decision on what he wants to do — but we remain very positive.”

Over the past five years or so, the Browns have spent so many millions — largely on other team’s castoffs — that it makes sense to invest in a homegrown player with such a passion for the game that he’s arguably the heart and soul of the team.

In free agency alone, they gave $10 million in guaranteed money to cornerback Gary Baxter, $10 million to receiver Donte Stallworth, and $17 million to guard Eric Steinbach, to name a few. Defensive end Corey Williams also received $16.5 million guaranteed and Shaun Rogers $20 million.

Cribbs’ six-year extension, negotiated by his previous agents, was worth $6.77 million with $2 million guaranteed. This year, he’s set to make $620,000. The next three years, he’s scheduled to make $635,000, $650,000 and $790,000. Rickert says he’s not demanding the $15 million guaranteed that Chicago’s Devin Hester received last year, just a fair deal.