Kellen Winslow: 'Not my place' to ask Jets for more playing time

EAST RUTHERFORD — Kellen Winslow said he won't beg for more playing time.

"That's not my fight," he said.

Winslow caught just three passes for 26 yards in Sunday's 23-3 loss to the Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. And the tight end, who had an impact in early 2013, saw the field sparingly.

But it's up to Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg to play him, Winslow said.

"That's not my place on the team to go" lobby for more plays, Winslow said. "My job is to make plays. When my number is called, I make plays. And when it's not I try and help other guys and that's all I can do."

"Some things you just can't control and I don't know what to say."

Winslow, in fact, didn't go all chatterbox, despite his offense not just continuing its slide, but experiencing a leadership change. Quarterback Geno Smith was benched after a 4-for-10 first half that also included an interception that led to a field goal in favor of inexperienced Matt Simms, who wasn't much better in the second half.

Instead, Winslow said, he doesn't "know how to feel right now" about his role on the team. That role saw him haul in a 12-yard first quarter strike from Smith and a pair of Simms throws in the fourth.

But that role also appears to be diminishing.

Winslow hasn't seen more than 41 percent of the offense's snaps since Week 5. And since returning from his four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drug violations, he took just 19 percent of the Jets' Week 11 snaps and 33 percent of them in Week 12.

The former Miami star turned heads after showing up to training camp and earning a one-year deal.

He had seven catches for 79 yards and a score in an Opening Day 18-17 win over Tampa Bay and hauled in another six catches for 73 yards in Week 4 blowout loss to the Titans.

But in the game before he started serving his suspension — a 30-28 Monday night win over Atlana — Winslow began to see his playing time slip. He said he's not sure why.

"I'm just trying to do the best I can with the situation I'm in," said Winslow, son of Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow Sr. "When the ball is thrown to me I'm going to catch it every time and that's that."

Winslow hasn't been a reliable for a full season since he played 16 games and caught 75 passes for the Buccaneers in 2011. He was traded to Seattle that offseason, but never played a snap in 2012 and was cut. And he played just one game with New England that year.

Winslow was also asked whether he believed a quarterback changed needed to be made Sunday, he answered: "That's not a comment I should make."


(nj.com)