Winslow says he's eager to return to Browns in 2009

Kellen Winslow hopes to return to the Browns next season, despite his midseason feud with the team and his contract issues.

"I do want to be back here," Winslow said. "I love being here and playing here. The fans have stuck by me, so yeah."

Winslow, who will sit out the Eagles game Monday night with his high ankle sprain, said none of the players are sure of their futures because of coach Romeo Crennel and General Manager Phil Savage being on the hot seat.

"Whatever happens, happens," he said. "I love being a Cleveland Brown. The guys here, we don't know who's going to be here next year. It's tough. You just have to focus on this year."

He said he didn't know if his status would be affected by that of Savage. Winslow's beef during the staph infection saga was mostly directed toward the general manager. "I'm not going to say," said Winslow.

He made it clear, however, that he has a very good relationship with Browns owner Randy Lerner. "I'm very happy with him," he said.

As for the new contract, he said, "I hired Drew Rosenhaus for that. That's his job." Then he added with a laugh, "I might just want to go and reach free agency [laughs]. Who knows?"

Winslow is under contract for the next two years at $4.5 million and $4.75 million. His request for a new deal has not been met and Savage said recently that no contracts will be renegotiated before the end of the season.

Winslow acknowledged that it's been a tough year for him, beginning with the staph infection and suspension. He also suffered a bruised right shoulder and then the high ankle sprain against the Colts Nov. 30. He sat out the Titans game last week and could miss the rest of this season.

"It just hasn't gone my way," he said. "I'm going to continue to fight."

Despite the ankle being a 3- to 6-week injury, Winslow is resisting injured reserve. The best-case scenario would have him back for the Bengals game Dec. 21 and the worst would be missing the remaining three games.

"I can come back, but I want to be healthy enough to help my team win," he said.

He said it would be easy to shut it down with the Browns at 4-9, "but my teammates are out there and it's hard to watch. I want to be out there with them."

One of the main reasons he wants to return is Ken Dorsey, his former University of Miami quarterback. The last game they played together was the Hurricanes' loss to Ohio State in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. Winslow caught 11 passes for 122 yards and a TD in that 31-24 double-overtime loss.

"I'd love to be out there with him again," said Winslow. "We always talk about it. But we've got to do a better job of protecting him. It was tough to watch on Sunday."

He said the two are so in sync "that we don't even have to say anything. It's there."

With Pro Bowl voting by the players and coaches this week, Winslow wasn't expecting a cameo appearance. He's caught only 43 passes for 428 yards and three touchdowns. Last year, he had 82 catches for 1,106 yards and five TDs. "It's been disappointing," he said.

On the bright side, he said his oft-surgically repaired right knee won't need another procedure in the off-season. He revealed that his last scope was performed by noted orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews, the same surgeon who repaired Brady Quinn's finger and scoped Joe Jurevicius' knee Thursday.

"He did a phenomenal job," said Winslow. "He's the best."

(cleveland.com)