Browns: All 8 players who have played at least 100 games since 1999 for Cleveland
By Chad Porto
RS/WR Josh Cribbs – 124 (31 Starts)
It’s a real shame how NFL experts and pundits view special teams. They’re clearly necessary and not just anyone can do it. it takes a unique and detailed skillset that is almost as non-football as it gets. They’re usually on the other end of 11 dudes barreling after them across the length of the field. That’s not exactly commonplace. Usually no more than a few yards separate the ball-carrier and the defense, but in a returners case, it could be 60 yards or so of separation.
So when Josh Cribbs stepped on the field and did his thing, it was beyond impressive. Like with everyone else on this list, Cribbs was the best player to come out of the 2005 NFL Draft. Though it was arguably the closest someone has come yet to challenging that throne. Braylon Edwards was the Browns’ top pick that year and he had some good years. While Edwards was a better receiver than Cribbs, Cribbs was much better overall as a playmaker. The other thing that makes his selection as “the Browns best from 2005’s draft” was that he wasn’t drafted but signed as an undrafted free agent.
Still, he was a rookie that year, so it counts.
He was easily the most exciting offensive player the Browns had during his heyday, and if NFL writers and pundits gave more respect to the skillset needed by return men, kickers, and punters, then no one would argue that Cribbs deserves to be a Hall of Famer, as he was arguably the best to ever do that job.
He was a three-time Pro-Bowler and two-time All-Pro and was selected to the 2000’s All-Decade team.