BEREA — Joshua Cribbs didn’t throw a pass, but he still felt right at home Tuesday as he lined up in the shotgun and took snaps.
“I’m like a natural back there,” he said following practice. “I feel empowered when I’m at quarterback. It’s a great feeling. I love it.
“I throw, too.”
Cribbs, who played quarterback at Kent State, took three snaps in team drills and ran each time. He was stopped at the line by linebacker Shantee Orr, then had a nice gain off the left side. On the third try, he faked a handoff to running back Jamal Lewis and took off in a version of the option.
Besides his jobs as receiver and all-around special teamer, the trick plays made for a busy day for Cribbs.
“The plays being run were his kind of plays,” coach Romeo Crennel said.
“The more you can do, the more valuable you are to the football team,” he said.
Cribbs made the Pro Bowl as a special teamer last season, but also saw time as a receiver and runner. He caught three passes and carried nine times for 61 yards. He would love to see the “slash” role expand.
“We want to keep defenses on their toes at all times,” he said.
Cribbs scored a touchdown to end Tuesday’s practice on a 50-yard catch-and-run on a pass from Brady Quinn.

Growing pains

Linebacker Beau Bell, a fourth-round pick out of UNLV, is struggling to adjust to his first NFL training camp. Not only is he still trying to pick up the 3-4 defensive scheme, he was booed during rookie hazing.
Bell was told to sing and picked the Temptations’ “Just My Imagination.”
“It was the first thing that came into my mind,” he said. “It was so hard.
“I’ve never done any karaoke. I don’t plan on doing some, neither. I plan on playing football.”
Bell, the team’s top selection, is working as a backup on defense and a first-team special teamer. He’s looked slow, but that could be a product of learning a new defense.
“Any person learning something new will be moving slow because you’re processing everything,” he said. “Once you get it all down, you move a little faster.
“My main goal is to do good on special teams. When I do good on special teams and do what I have to do in practice on defense, hopefully that will give me a chance to work my way into the game.”
Crennel is taking a wait-and-see approach.
“He’s a physical guy and he enjoys the contact part of the game,” he said. “As soon as we start playing these games, we will see where he is mentally and if he’s been able to pick it up quick enough.”

Injury report

Defensive lineman Corey Williams missed his fourth straight practice with a shoulder injury, and Crennel said he’ll be out through the weekend.
• Tight end Steve Heiden missed minicamp and organized team activities following back surgery and is now sidelined with a knee injury. Heiden didn’t give a timetable for his return, but said the back is good.
“It’s tough missing practice, especially after not going through minicamp and OTAs,” he said. “But I’ll be back soon enough.”
• Fullback Lawrence Vickers (hamstring), receiver Kevin Kasper (hamstring) and guard Seth McKinney (ankle) were out again.

Extra points

Defensive lineman Shaun Rogers and tight end Kellen Winslow were given the day off to rest.
• Receiver Braylon Edwards made a nice one-handed catch of a sideline pass from Derek Anderson while holding off cornerback Jereme Perry with the other arm.
• Fans are encouraged to bring new school supplies to camp for kids in need.
Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.

TRAINING CAMP 2008

NEWS OF THE DAY: The Browns practiced in full pads in the afternoon sun on the hottest day of camp. Joshua Cribbs was in the middle of everything, including taking snaps out of the shotgun as a running back.
CAMPER OF THE DAY: Quarterback Brady Quinn had his best day in an otherwise disappointing camp. Quinn made two of his better throws on consecutive outs to Cribbs and Efrem Hill, then led a touchdown drive in the two-minute drill. After throwing the ball away on first down from the 50-yard line, Quinn zipped a ball to Cribbs on an in route, and Cribbs streaked up the field for the score.
PLAY OF THE DAY: Safety Mike Adams, battling for the role of nickelback, intercepted Derek Anderson in a two-minute drill with an acrobatic catch and headed up the sideline. The dump pass to tight end Darnell Dinkins was high and went off Dinkins’ outstretched hand.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I got booed off the stage.” — Linebacker Beau Bell, on his performance of the Temptations’ “Just My Imagination” as part of rookie hazing.
TODAY’S SCHEDULE: Two-a-days return, with practices from 8:45-10:45 a.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m. Call (877) 627-6967 for updates.

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