3 years, $20MM. Cribbs stays in Cleveland.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/...cribbs_s_2.html

Cleveland Browns' Josh Cribbs signs new three-year deal worth up to $20 million
By Mary Kay Cabot
March 05, 2010, 3:30PM

CLEVELAND -- Browns two-time Pro Bowler Josh Cribbs celebrated his new contract Friday with a few thousand of his favorite people -- the fans.

Less than an hour after signing his restructured three-year deal, Cribbs rushed out of a hastily-called news conference at the Browns facility to make the announcement himself in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 2,000-3,000 at the Cleveland Auto Show at the I-X center. Afterwards, he signed an estimated 1,500 autographs in a little over two hours, according to one of his representatives, Aaron Stuetzer.

"The fans played a huge part in my re-signing and that's why I'm here -- to thank them," Cribbs said. "There's no other way I'd rather celebrate than with my family and these fans."

The crowd cheered wildly when Cribbs assured them he'd be around for at least three more seasons, through 2012. The new deal is worth up to about $20 million, with about $7 million to $7.5 million guaranteed -- meaning he'd be the highest-paid special-teamer in the NFL if he hits all of his incentives. The minimum value of the deal is the guaranteed money.

"It was the same feeling I had when I scored my first touchdown -- to hear all those fans cheering for me," Cribbs said. "It's been a long road, and I owe a lot to them and to my family. I've been praying hard over these last couple of weeks and months. We reached a good compromise and I'm happy to wear this uniform proudly."

Cribbs" new deal, which averages about $6.3 million if he earns the maximum value, exceeds Devin Hester's $5.4 million average -- a key to closing the deal. Hester, the Chicago Bears specialist, signed a four-year, $40 million extension in 2008, including $15 million guaranteed. Cribbs previous deal would've paid him just over $1 million a year.

Agent J.R. Rickert said the incentives and escalators in the deal are "really attainable numbers. If he performs at 2009 levels, he's likely to receive the maximum value of the contract." The deal contains six levels, including one escalator tied to making the Pro Bowl in each of the three seasons.

Browns President Mike Holmgren acknowledged that it's unorthodox to renegotiate a contract with three years" remaining, but felt it was justified.

"To ask with three years left is unusual," he said. "But in Josh's case, they had a good point. He'd outperformed his contract to a certain extent the more I studied it. I could say "no, we're not going to do it." But that would be kind of silly. Once we dove into it, someone's got to make the call, so I made the call."

Holmgren said the challenge was to reward Cribbs without sending the message that contracts can be easily torn up and re-done.

"You start with the philosophy that we're going to make every effort to keep our core players, our best players here and clearly Josh is one of those," he said. "I want every player we have to want to be here, to give me and Eric (Mangini) his best."

Cribbs" 20-month contract saga included the threat of a holdout or trade demand, and a lowpoint in early January when he cleaned out his locker and said his good-byes after the previous front office gave him what he considered a lowball offer of about $1.4 million a year. Fans jumped on his bandwagon, starting a "Pay the Man" campaign complete with T-shirts and billboards.

"The fans are my huge support system," said Cribbs. "All over my travels, from the Pro Bowl in Miami to the Super Bowl, the fan base is there. Every social network, internet site, the fans are there and they speak and I hear them and they give me motivation to go forward."

Fans, many wearing his No. 16 jersey, began lining up at 11 a.m. at the auto show to wait in line for Cribbs" autograph or picture. "I tried to shake every hand and really show my appreciation," he said. "It made everything worthwhile. If you play hard for these fans, they will love you. And I'm going to do everything I can to help the Browns take over the league and win."

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