Congratulations are in order for the two players who clearly the best players on the Cleveland Browns roster, and have been so for three years running.
Joshua Cribbs, quite possible the most complete and dominant special teams player in the history of the NFL, and Joe Thomas, the Browns’ left tackle for the next decade, have both been named to the Pro Bowl, according to numerous reports.
I’ll provide credit to the first place I saw the news of Cribbs’ and Thomas’ Pro Bowl selection: PFT.
Per a league source, left tackle Joe Thomas has been named to the AFC Pro Bowl roster for the third time in three NFL seasons.
Also, receiver Josh Cribbs will make his second Pro Bowl appearance. He previously made it onto the roster in 2007.
Congrats to both players, who are extremely deserving of this honor. I challenge anyone to provide evidence why either Cribbs or Thomas should not be going to Miami the week before the Super Bowl.
And I shall take to task the first commenter on the PFT post linked above, who said the following:
Cleveland is better off trading both. They have bigger holes to fill besides a stinkin KR and a tackle. CJ Spiller, Colt Mccoy, drafting those 2 might help us a lot. Also trading for a WR like Terrell Owens, Dwayne Bowe would help a lot too.
This is such an asinine comment I almost feel silly countering it.
First of all, the only position on the field more important than quarterback is left tackle. The Browns have one of the league’s best and made the right call in selecting Thomas at #3 over the available Adrian Peterson.
As for Cribbs, not only do the Browns have the best special teams player in the history of the NFL (go ahead, counter that…I dare you), but he is the perfect kind of team-first, high-character guy to help lead a rebuilding process. If attitude were dollars, Cribbs would already be paid $10+ million per year. As it is, he is due a fat new contract, which should be forthcoming sometime soon.
Colt McCoy? Please. He’s a career backup. CJ Spiller? A very talented back who could easily become Reggie Bush at the NFL level. T.O.? Dwayne Bowe? Sure, both would help out at wide receiver, but neither would be a difference maker for the Browns.
Clearly the Browns need a QB, more talent at WR, and better talent overall on defense. But no one can dispute that Joe Thomas and Joshua Cribbs are part of the solution.
Congrats to both on being named to the Pro Bowl, a well-deserved honor for each.
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* – Joe Thomas photo credit: Tracy Boulian/The Plain Dealer via The Plain Dealer
* – Joshua Cribbs photo credit: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images via FanHouse
About Jerod Morris
