INDIANAPOLIS -- The Colts released return specialist Josh Cribbs, the team announced Friday.
The release isn't surprising after the Colts selected University of Miami receiver Phillip Dorsett in the first round of the NFL draft. General manager Ryan Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano talked about Dorsett also returning kicks Thursday.
"He'll develop into being a really good kick returner for us," Pagano said. "There's so many things that you can do with a guy like this from a gadget-play type."
The Colts signed Cribbs on Nov. 18, 2014. The beginning of the end for him happened when he muffed a punt off his helmet in the first quarter of the AFC Championship Game against New England. The Patriots recovered the ball and scored a touchdown six plays later. That was the last time Cribbs returned a kick for the Colts. Pagnao replaced him with receiver T.Y. Hilton.
Cribbs averaged 32.0 yards on kickoff returns and 6.6 yards on punt returns last season.
