Browns trio in camp but not happy
Published 1:03 am Friday, June 12, 2009
BEREA (AP) — The Cleveland Browns have a small cluster of players who were happy to show up for new coach Eric Mangini’s mandatory minicamp on Thursday even though they’re far from pleased with their contracts.
Kicker Phil Dawson, linebacker D’Qwell Jackson and special teamer Josh Cribbs are all seeking new deals.
Jackson, entering the final year of his contract, hasn’t let it stop him from practicing, while Cribbs skipped some voluntary workouts last month before eventually reporting.
Dawson’s appearance Thursday was his first since the end of the season. He skipped the voluntary workouts last month to protest his contract, which pays him $1 million this season and next. One of the league’s most accurate kickers, Dawson wants to be paid like one.
Cincinnati tagged Shayne Graham as its franchise player in February, assuring him a salary of $2.483 million — the average salary of the top five kickers in the NFL last year. Dawson will make less than half of that.
‘‘I’m not going to get into all of that,’’ Dawson said. ‘‘I’m here today and it’s good to see my teammates again. There’s a time and place for all that, but now is not it.’’
Dawson heads into the season with a career 82.8 percent field goal percentage, the best mark in franchise history and fourth all-time in the NFL.