"Recent reports of Cleveland Browns return specialist/wide receiver Joshua Cribbs' request for a new contract have been a hot topic in Browns training camp lately. In 2007 Cribbs signed a six-year deal worth just under $6 million, including a $2 million signing bonus.

According to Cribbs' agent, JR Rickert, there have been conflicting reports in the media. He insisted that many of these reports are not clear and are inaccurate.

During a phone conversation with the agent on Wednesday, Rickert wanted to set the record straight on talks of a new contract for his client and provided a clear timeline of what occurred.

"I met with Joshua in Cleveland in August of 2007 after he fired Andre Cologna and signed with me shortly thereafter," Rickert said. "At that time, Joshua indicated a concern about the contract he signed when he was with Cologna. He also indicated that his plan to address it was to perform on the field. All Joshua did was have a Pro Bowl season in 2007. He has never once complained to the team or the media."

I was told that Rickert and his partner, Peter Schaffer, communicated with the Browns on a regular basis during the 2007 season. Schaffer is the lead agent for left tackle Joe Thomas and starting cornerback Eric Wright, while Rickert is the lead agent for Cribbs and cornerback Brandon McDonald.

So there are reasons to believe that there were some discussions between representatives for Cribbs and the Browns organization before now.

"This notion that Joshua all of a sudden became dissatisfied with his contract after the Pro Bowl and hired us to fix it is absolutely inaccurate," Rickert said. "Joshua has expressed a concern all along about feeling 'protected.' As his agent, I would not be doing my job if I did not explore ways to better protect and secure him."

What the agent means by protect is making sure that his client is being compensated for what the player's market value is truly worth.

If you look inside the numbers, Cribbs' current non-guaranteed compensation package valued at approximately $987,000 per year doesn't come close to Chicago Bears return specialist Devin Hester's new deal of $5 million per year, with $15 million guaranteed. It also does not come close to the $4 million per year and guarantees of over $10 million that the Houston Texans shelled out to former Browns wide receiver Andre Davis.

If you look at the situation from a player-agent standpoint Cribbs is grossly underpaid."