Chris Johnson isn’t the only former Jet who thinks the team failed to put his talents to use.

Kellen Winslow Jr., who spent the 2013 season on the Jets, wrote on Twitter that he agrees with Johnson’s opinions about the dysfunction on the Jets. According to both Winslow and Johnson, decision-making was taken out of the hands of head coach Rex Ryan and given to General Manager John Idzik.

“Chris Johnson is not lying,” Winslow wrote. “My role was never explained to me. Wanted to help Geno/Jets as route runner. Politics got in the way. #Idzik”

The Jets were a mess during the Ryan-Idzik years, and there’s a widespread perception around the NFL that Idzik put Ryan in a no-win situation. That perception permeated the Jets’ locker room as well.

And that perception is why Ryan has landed on his feet as head coach of the Bills, while Idzik will likely never get another job as an NFL G.M.


(profootballtalk.com)

1. Miami (84 points): While it has been relatively quiet since its positional heyday early in the 2000s, Miami still easily tops this list. With seven tight ends drafted, including first-round picks Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow and Greg Olsen, the Hurricanes far surpassed the next closest programs at the position. They don’t get extra points for this, but they also produced arguably the top tight end in the NFL today in 2010 third-round pick Jimmy Graham, who's now starring for the New Orleans Saints.

Award winners: Kellen Winslow, Mackey (2003).
Consensus All-Americans: Kellen Winslow (2003).
First-team all-conference: Jeremy Shockey (2000, 2001), Kellen Winslow (2002, 2003), Greg Olsen (2006).
NFL first-round draft picks: Jeremy Shockey (2002), Kellen Winslow (2004), Greg Olsen (2007).
NFL draft picks, Rounds 2-4: Kevin Everett (Round 3, 2005), Jimmy Graham (Round 3, 2010).
NFL draft picks, Rounds 5-7: Dedrick Epps (Round 7, 2010), Richard Gordon (Round 6, 2011).

See the rest of ESPN’s rankings here

ESPN failed to remember proCane TE Bubba Franks.


(espn.com)

The case accusing former New York Jets tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. of possession of synthetic marijuana ended today when a municipal court judge granted him a conditional discharge, after refusing to dismiss the charge.

Under conditions set by East Hanover Municipal Court Judge Vincent Pirone, the charge against Winslow will be dismissed in a year without a guilty finding if he avoids arrest and meets regularly with probation officers.

Pirone rejected a motion by defense attorney Harvey Steinberg of Colorado, who argued the charge should be dismissed because the substance in question, Fubinaca, was not illegal under state or federal law when Winslow was arrested in November.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration did not list Fubinaca as an illegal substance until February, Steinberg argued.

Winslow bought the Fubinaca legally, Steinberg said, adding, "Sniffing glue has the same effect as smoking marijuana."

Pirone, presiding in the joint municipal court in Hanover, responded in his ruling that a state law barring any substance that “mimics the effect” of marijuana was in effect at the time of Winslow’s arrest.

Fubinaca, found in Winslow’s Cadillac Escalade SUV in 14 plastic baggies with labels including “Funky Monkey” and “Mr. Happy,” has “a high potential for abuse and no medicinal purposes,” East Hanover Municipal Prosecutor Michael Calabro argued.

He added that glue, unlike Fubinaca, was not "manufactured to mimic the effects of marijuana."

Winslow was arrested on Nov. 19 after a woman told police she saw him masturbating in his SUV in the parking lot outside the Target store on Route 10 in East Hanover.

Winslow was not charged with lewdness, but police did find the synthetic marijuana in the vehicle. Winslow’s publicist later said he was just changing his clothes.

Even though they didn’t obtain a dismissal, Winslow and his attorneys said they were pleased with the outcome of the case.

“It’s almost as good as a dismissal,” said Steinberg, pointing out that Winslow will have no criminal record if he stays out of trouble for a year.

“Yeah, I’m happy, man,” said Winslow, 30. He said the outcome of the case allows him “for sure” to negotiate with other NFL teams.

Winslow is an unrestricted free agent after the Jets did not re-sign him after one year with the team and 10 years in the NFL.

Winslow, who lived in Madison while playing for the Jets, is now living in Austin, Texas.

“I need to train where it’s hot,” said Winslow, who will be required to report to probation officials in Texas.

Calabro, the prosecutor, said he was satisfied with the outcome of the case, saying it was typical for a first-time offender.

“We treated him like any other person here,” Calabro said. “The lesson is learned here by him.”


(nj.com)

HANOVER – Former Jets tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. made a cameo appearance in municipal court Thursday to answer charges he was in possession of banned synthetic marijuana last fall, but a ruling was postponed for one last battle, staged in briefs, between the defense and prosecutors.

Defense attorney Harvey Steinberg said he will argue in his submission to the court that the substance found in Winslow’s car in the parking lot outside Target in East Hanover was not on the banned substance list at the time.

Municipal Judge Vincent A. Pirone, agitated that the case “goes back quite a ways,” told Steinberg he had three weeks to submit his brief. Prosecutors then would have five days to respond, and Pirone said he would rule by April 24, based solely on the paperwork. Steinberg, who has represented several other NFL players in court, had asked for 30 days.

The discussion took roughly three minutes.

Winslow -- who was dressed for his appearance in a red-and-black checked shirt, jeans and sneakers -- was charged when police responded to a report by a woman on Nov. 19 that she believed Winslow was masturbating in his vehicle outside Target.

When police arrived at the Route 10 department store, officers found Winslow, in sweat pants with his genitals covered, they said. When told what the woman had claimed, Winslow denied he had been masturbating and said he had been smoking and changed clothes so that he didn’t smell like smoke before returning home, police said. He added he had become lost while looking for the nearby Boston Market.

No charges were filed in connection to the masturbation claim.

Lab tests that came back on Dec. 23 revealed Winslow was in possession of synthetic marijuana, prosecutors said. He was formally charged on Dec. 30, and pleaded not guilty before a judge in Superior Court in Morristown in January.

When the incident report was released on Jan. 17 and the masturbation claim was reported by NJ.com, Winslow released a statement calling it “ridiculous.” When approached for further comment before court began Thursday, Winslow said, “Hold on,” and ducked into the courtroom to meet with his attorneys.

After court, Winslow refused comment on his legal matters, and also deflected football questions. Steinberg also refused comment.

When asked if he had become a free agent as expected on Tuesday, Winslow replied, “Yeah, I’m free,” and left the municipal building.

(nj.com)

New York Jets tight end Kellen Winslow is set to hit free agency in March, and it doesn’t look like his current team has much interest in bringing him back. ESPN New York reports that they do not expect to see Winslow re-sign with the team, which really comes as no surprise.

After an eventful few months that have included synthetic marijuana charges and allegedly playing with himself in his car outside of Target, there may not be much interest in the aging tight end from anyone around the league.

Then again, this is the NFL, so anything can happen.

But unless Winslow has his eyes set on the veteran minimum, he is going to have a hard time finding a new home.


(fansided.com)

HANOVER -- Jets tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. did not appear in municipal court for a hearing here Thursday morning, where two of his attorneys entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf to a charge synthetic marijuana possession.

Winslow, 30, of Madison, was arrested back in November after a woman called police to say she saw him masturbating in his vehicle in a parking lot outside the Target on Route 10 in neighboring East Hanover. Winslow was not charged with lewdness, but police allegedly did find synthetic marijuana in the vehicle.
Winslow's publicist would later say Winslow was just changing his clothes.

Winslow was scheduled to appear before judge Vincent A. Pirone on Thursday, but he's on the west coast with what was described in court as a "medical issue" that will prevent him from flying for the next two weeks.

Winslow's attorney, Jason Meisner of Morristown, told judge Pirone that attorney David J. Blair of Colorado would also be handling Winslow's defense.

After the hearing, Blair declined to address any specifics about the medical issue.

The next hearing in the case was scheduled for March 13. Judge Pirone made it clear to Winslow's attorneys that Winslow must be present for that hearing.

Winslow was formally charged in late December after lab tests confirmed he allegedly possessed the synthetic weed, which he allegedly told the arresting officers he used because the NFL tests players for actual marijuana.

The executive director of the NFL's players' union said Winslow should not face any discipline from the league because synthetic marijuana is not listed in its drug policy as a banned substance.

A 10-year NFL veteran, Winslow has played just one season with the Jets. He is scheduled to become a free agent when the 2014 league year begins next month.


(nj.com)mai

HANOVER — New York Jets tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. is scheduled to have his first appearance in municipal court Thursday morning on a charge of possession of Fubinaca, a synthetic form of marijuana.

Winslow, 30, of Madsion, will enter a plea during his appearance in East Hanover Municipal Court, which shares a joint court with Hanover.

Winslow was allegedly found in possession of the designer form of cannabis on Nov. 19 by East Hanover police officer John M. Fox. Police had received a complaint from a woman who said she saw Winslow masturbating inside his car outside the Target store on Route 10 in East Hanover, according to a police report.

A publicist for Winslow later issued a statement saying he was only changing his clothes.

Winslow was formally charged on Dec. 30 after lab tests that came back on Dec. 23 revealed Winslow was allegedly in possession of synthetic marijuana, according to the police report.

He pleaded not guilty at his initial appearance before central judicial processing in Superior Court in Morristown last month, and the case was referred to municipal court.


(nj.com)

NEW YORK -- New York Jets tight end Kellen Winslow shouldn't face any discipline for his November arrest for alleged possession of medical marijuana, NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith told reporters in a news conference on Thursday.

Winslow was arrested in East Hanover for possession of synthetic marijuana, a substance that is illegal in New Jersey and many other states but is not among drugs banned under NFL drug policy.

"Our drug policy is one that has strict and well-defined drugs that are banned," Smith said. "If they are not on the list, they can't serve as the basis for discipline."

An NFL spokesman said at the time Winslow's arrest report was released -- which included alleged lewd conduct -- that Winslow could face discipline due to the fact it was a drug arrest. And since Commissioner Roger Goodell has the ultimate say, there appears to be at least the possibility Winslow, who is set to become a free agent, could face discipline.

Winslow allegedly' told police that he uses synthetic pot because the NFL doesn't test for it.

A source with knowledge of the drug policy talks between the league and the players union told NJ.com that the NFLPA wants to see the adverse effects of synthetic marijuana -- typically incense infused with THC, the active ingredient in pot -- before agreeing to add it to the banned list.

"If the league or NFLPA wants to make additions or medications to that drug policy, the process for that is collective bargaining, as brutal, ugly and messy and imperfect as it is," Smith said.

Want messy? See the NFLPA's continued refusal to allow their players to be tested for human growth hormone originally agreed upon in August 2011. Smith said the league and the NFLPA are close on a final HGH agreement, as long as Goodell doesn't have final say on suspensions for a positive test.

And then there's the issue of actual marijuana. Both Sunday's Super Bowl teams (the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks) are from states that allow anybody 21 years of age or older. to purchase weed legally

Pot is on NFL's banned list and a positive test places a player in a treatment program and multiple positives can lead to a suspension.

"We've had preliminary discussions, but I'll be extremely blunt," Smith said with laughs from the audience over the weed reference.  "The framework for discussion with the league on any drug -- whether be medical marijuana or really anything -- is the drug policy. The focus far hasn't been on one issue, like medical marijuana. How do we close this deal on what we feel would be the gold standard in processional sports?"

That gold standard, Smith said, would be an outside arbitrator ---not the commissioner's office -- making the final call on disputed cases, like Major League Baseball. 


(nj.com)

New York Jets tight end Kellen Winslow, who served a four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs during the season, is now facing charges of possession of synthetic marijuana.

Winslow, 30, appeared Wednesday in an East Hanover, N.J., courtroom as part of the pre-trial process. He was found Nov. 19 in possession of the designer drug Fubinaca, according to the Morristown (N.J.) Daily Record. The alleged incident occurred two days after he played his first game following the suspension.

The criminal complaint wasn't signed until Dec. 30, the day after the Jets' season ended in Miami.

Winslow is charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, a third-degree offense, the Daily Record reported. He could receive up to five years in prison if convicted.

"We are aware of situation," a Jets spokesman said. "This is a pending legal matter and we will have no further comment."
Winslow, who will be a free agent in March, made more news off the field than on it for the Jets. In October, he was slapped with a four-game ban for violating the league's policy on PEDs.

Upon returning to the team, Winslow offered a vague explanation, insisting he wasn't told what substance triggered the positive test. He said it may have been allergy medication, but he never specified what type of allergy.

Winslow, in his first season with the Jets, finished with 31 catches for 388 yards and two touchdowns. His role diminished after his suspension, prompting him to express public frustration. He's not expected back with the team.

In a career that's included stops at Cleveland, Tampa Bay and the Jets, Winslow has 469 catches and 25 TDs 


(espn.com)

Three Jets did not participate in practice Thursday. Ed Reed, the safety who has received Thursdays off the past two weeks, had the day off and was not present.

Neither was Kellen Winslow, who was sent home with an illness. The tight end also did not practice Wednesday to rest his right knee.

Ellis Lankster, a cornerback who did not participate in practice Tuesday or Wednesday, was on the field during position drills but not wearing a helmet. Lankster did not officially participate in practice. He missed last Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns with a jaw injury, which Rex Ryan explained is a complication from getting a tooth pulled.

The players listed as limited on Wednesday's injury report -- Quinton Coples, Sheldon Richardson, Santonio Holmes and Antonio Cromartie -- were all on the field as the Jets practiced indoors but their status on the injury report did not change.

Ryan is not worried about those players failing to participate in Sunday's season finale in Miami against the Dolphins.

"I think we're good," the Jets coach said.


(nj.com)

Tight end Kellen Winslow put together another solid performance for the Jets in Sunday’s 24-13 win over the Browns. If he seemed extra motivated, the proof was not just in his stat line.

Winslow spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Browns as a first-round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. A game against his old team surely meant a little something extra to him and on Sunday, he was named by head coach Rex Ryan as a team captain. It is a frequent move by Ryan to fuel a player against his former team. The tight end was traded from the Browns to the Buccaneers following the 2009 season.

When he walked out to the middle of the field for the coin flip, Winslow quickly shook hands with the Browns captains. But after the flip, when the players again shook hands, Winslow turned his back and ran to the Jets’ sideline. It was a move that raised an eyebrow or two.

“We shook hands once. Enough with the shaking of hands. I’m good. Let’s go play ball,” Winslow told Metro. “That’s all, I’m just a little different. Nothing into it.”
In the game, Winslow had three catches for 35 yards. But it was the way he played that left an impression.

In the middle of the third quarter, Winslow made a reception over the middle and turned upfield. It looked like a routine short gain until he hurdled a Browns defender and kneed another opponent before he was brought down. It was a 16-yard reception with plenty of inner fire.

“I got the catch and turned and saw white jerseys around me and usually when it is a corner they go low on you,” Winslow said. “It finally worked, you know?
“It was a good feeling. It really is another team for me — just going out and doing my job. It was just another game.”


(metro.us)

Is Kellen Winslow Jr. frustrated that he's not a bigger weapon in the Jets' offense?

He stopped short of using that word, but it's safe to say the tight end isn't happy about his diminished role. Shortly after the Jets totaled only 177 yards against Miami -- the fewest allowed by the Dolphins this season -- Winslow seemed perplexed about why he's not being allowed to contribute more. "When they throw it, I catch it,'' he said. "So I don't know why.''

Winslow was right about that -- at least on this particular day. He caught all three passes thrown to him for 26 yards, including a 12-yarder from Geno Smith with 43 seconds left in the first quarter. But Winslow wasn't targeted again until the fourth quarter, when Matt Simms hit him for completions of 9 and 5 yards on the same drive.

Before serving a four-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, Winslow caught 17 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns in the Jets' first five games. Since then, he has only six catches for 77 yards and no TDs. But he said he won't discuss his playing time with offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg because "that's not my fight.''

"My job is just to make plays when it comes,'' Winslow said. "When my number's called, I make plays. And when it's not, I try to help the other guys. And that's all I can do. Some things you just can't control.''

But he went out of his way to avoid using the word "frustrated.''

"I don't know how to feel,'' he said. "I'm just trying to do the best I can with the situation I'm in. Like I said, when the ball's thrown to me, I'm going to catch it every time. And that's that.''


(newsday.com)

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)

New York Jets TE Kellen Winslow (knee) did not practice Thursday, Nov. 21.

Fantasy Tip: That's two straight days of missed practice for Winslow. Not a good sign. Leave him to your bench or the waiver wire. Jeff Cumberland could see his role increase if Winslow is limited or doesn't play.


(kffl.com)

Kellen Winslow returned to the Jets lineup Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. He was at Geno Smith’s disposal for the first time since Week 5 in Atlanta, before a violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy cost the tight end four games.

At the time the suspension kicked in, Winslow led the Jets with 17 receptions. Against the Bills, though, he played a peripheral role in the offense. He participated in merely 11 of the Jets’ 58 offensive snaps and caught the only pass thrown his way for a gain of 17 yards.

Winslow hinted at frustration after receiving only 19 snaps in Week 5, his previous season-low. Today, though, he shrugged at his role in the offense -- perhaps even he doesn't know what to make of diminished playing time. Asked to define his responsibilities, Winslow said, “It's to help the younger guys. Whatever my job is, whenever they want me to go in and catch the ball, that's what I'll do.”

Winlsow stated before the season that he aimed for 100 catches, a target he has not reached in a nine-year career. He has slipped from the starting lineup, however, in part due to the chronic pain in his right knee which has cut down on his practice time.

Marty Mornhinweg, who calls the Jets’ plays from the sideline, told Winslow last week that he would receive between 10 and 15 snaps against the Bills. Jeff Cumberland, by contrast, played 47 snaps.

Rex Ryan said the Jets wanted to ease Winslow back into action, and that perhaps his snaps will increase next weekend in Baltimore.

“We’ll see what his role looks like in this upcoming game,” the Jets coach said. “At first, we’re trying to find out where he is. But we’ll see the kind of role he has.”

In the meantime, Winslow says he will remain patient.

“Whatever my role is to help the team, that's what's asked of me and that's what I'm doing,” Winslow said. “Things change during the season. People get hurt. Things change. I'm in the league and I'm happy. I'm feeding my family. I'm good. I'm content.”


(nj.com)

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Tight end Kellen Winslow, who practiced Monday for the first time in more than a month, acknowledged he was unhappy with his playing time before his four-game suspension took effect. Winslow said he was "weeded out" of the game plan in the Week 5 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

"Stuff goes on behind the scenes that ... look, they knew I was going to get suspended," Winslow said of the New York Jets. "Sometimes you just kind of get weeded out or whatever. I knew I wasn't going to take the appeal if I got suspended. My knee was hurting, I'm weeded out of the game plan ... it was just a frustrating time."

Because the Jets knew of the pending suspension, they chose to give fellow tight end Jeff Cumberland a bigger role in that particular game plan, according to Winslow.

Winslow's chronic knee pain flared up in the days leading up to the Monday night game in Atlanta, causing him to miss four practices that week. He caught a 1-yard touchdown pass in the game, but he played only 19 snaps -- the first time he played fewer snaps than Cumberland. Afterward, Winslow declined an interview, saying it wouldn't be a smart move to speak to reporters.

Four days later, the suspension became public.

Winslow said he feels well-rested and fresh after spending five weeks at his home in California. He returned to the Jets briefly last week, but the team received a six-day break for the bye week, so he returned to the West Coast.

"I went home to San Diego and cycled a little bit and ate Mexican food," said Winslow, a cycling enthusiast.

For what it's worth, Winslow said he still hasn't been notified by the NFL Players' Association as to which performance-enhancing substance caused his positive test. He claimed it may have been an allergy medication. He said his goal is to help the team any way possible.

"He was missed," quarterback Geno Smith said.


(espn.com)

New York Jets tight end Kellen Winslow, before missing the last four weeks for a PED suspension, has expressed frustration in seeing his playing time diminish.

Now, according to ESPN, Winslow says he was “weeded out” of the offenses game plan during the Jets’ Week 5 win against the Atlanta Falcons, the last game Winslow played:

Stuff goes on behind the scenes that … look, they knew I was going to get suspended. Sometimes you just kind of get weeded out or whatever. I knew I wasn’t going to take the appeal if I got suspended. My knee was hurting, I’m weeded out of the game plan … it was just a frustrating time.

Winslow believes the Jets knew of his suspension, and gave tight end Jeff Cumberland more of an opportunity in the Atlanta game because of it.

On the other hand, maybe it had more to do with Winslow missing four practices leading up to the Monday night game with chronic knee pain.

Winslow caught a touchdown in the game, but only played 19 snaps, the first time Winslow played fewer snaps than Cumberland. After the game, Winslow decline an interview, believing it wouldn’t be a smart move.

The suspension became public four days later.

Winslow, who practiced with the team for the first time in over a month, says that he feels fresh and well-rested after spending the past five weeks at his home in California.

“I went home to San Diego and cycled a little bit and ate Mexican food,” said Winslow.

Winslow says he has not been notified by the NFL Players’ Association as to which performance-enhancing drug he tested positive for. He believes it was his allergy medicine, but did not appeal the suspension.


(fansided.com)

Tight end Kellen Winslow returned to the Jets on Monday after serving his four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

Winslow was leading the team in receptions when he was suspended. During that time, he could not be at the team’s training center or attend games. Winslow said Monday he is still unsure what caused his failed test.

“It’s something I really couldn’t control,” Winslow said. “I think it was something over my allergies, some medicine I was taking and it was on the banned substance list. It’s just life. You deal with stuff. People that know me know I’m not trying to gain an edge or something like that illegally. I respect the game too much for that.”

Winslow said he is waiting to hear from the NFLPA what exactly caused the failed test. He said he only changed one medication he was taking, but was not clear when pressed about that drug. Winslow said he got it from a doctor, but said it wasn’t a prescription but “more like vitamins.”

The NFL notified Winslow a couple of weeks before he was suspended, he said, but he chose not to appeal, saying he’d rather take the suspension early in the season. Winslow said he is not concerned about his reputation taking a hit.

“I know who I am and I’m comfortable with who I am and that’s not who I am,” Winslow said. “I’m not trying to go out and take illegal stuff. That’s just not what I do.”

Winslow’s playing time was reduced in the game before his suspension against the Falcons. He admitted he was bothered by that.

“I was frustrated about my playing time and I want to help my team more, but that happens,” he said. “There’s more games to be played and I’ll be utilized. I’ll be ready.”


(nypost.com)

When Jets tight end Kellen Winslow received a four-game suspension Friday from the National Football League for violating their policy on performance-enhancing substances, the general public mostly groaned and rolled their eyes. There wasn't that much outrage as attitudes seem to have softened regarding athletes who attempt to cheat the system.

In Winslow's defense, he claims to have accidentally and unknowingly taken a banned substance. Whether or not there was any intent behind the violation, our memories have gotten shorter toward players who use PEDs.

Look no further than the Major League Baseball postseason for a prime example of how forgiving fans can be when one of their own gets in trouble. Jhonny Peralta of the Detroit Tigers is currently batting .450 in the playoffs after returning from a 50-game suspension for violating the MLB drug policy. You would be hard-pressed to find very many people in Detroit who, despite Peralta's actions, don't want him in the lineup because he gives the team their best chance to win.

New Yorkers are no strangers to forgiveness, either. Marlon Byrd, suspended 50 games in 2012 for taking PEDs, was a fan favorite during his short tenure this season with the Mets before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates to help with their playoff push. Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte admitted taking HGH to help recover from an elbow injury in 2002 and received a hero's send-off when he retired in September.

The common denominator amongst Peralta, Byrd, and Pettitte is that they performed well upon returning from suspension. The trio has certainly heard the booing and taunting when they play on the road but they've largely been forgiven by the hometown crowd.

When Winslow is eligible to play again after November 4, he'll be welcomed back too -- as long as the team still needs him in the lineup. He'll have lost a bit of respect for his transgression, and will also miss out on $197,647 in paychecks, but he'll be back.

Despite already serving the first game of his suspension, Winslow still leads the Jets in touchdown catches and has the second most receptions. He's quietly been an important part of the offense and a favorite target of rookie quarterback Geno Smith.

His absence means it's time for others to step up. Jeff Cumberland had a season-high four receptions in Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and will have three more games to cement himself as a go-to option. Little-used tight end Konrad Reuland and recently signed Zach Sudfeld will also see an increase in playing time and it could mean the difference in them holding onto their roster spots.

Winslow has proven to be a shrewd signing after making the team following a training camp tryout. Hampered by knee problems that scared off most teams around the league, the time off via suspension could actually prove beneficial in keeping him fresh for the latter stages of the season.

At the end of the day, fans just want to see a winner. They may point their finger at Winslow and be disappointed in him, but if he comes back better than ever for the team's final seven games, all will be forgiven.


(nbcnewyork.com)

NFL suspended Jets TE Kellen Winslow four games for violating the league's policy against PEDs.
He can be removed from fantasy rosters of all kinds. At this point, it wouldn't be unfair to wonder if Winslow invested on the performance enhancers as a means of resurrecting his career after essentially falling out of football. He's been cut by several teams over the past few seasons. The Jets will move forward with Jeff Cumberland as their primary tight end. They also have former Patriot Zach Sudfeld on the roster, and the player once nicknamed "Baby Gronk" is expected to be active in Week 6 against the Steelers.


(rotoworld.com)

As Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith rang in his 23rd birthday Thursday by practicing for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense, he didn’t have one of his veteran targets.

For the second straight day, tight end Kellen Winslow, who leads the Jets with 17 catches and is tied for the team lead with two touchdown grabs, did not participate in practice because of his surgically repaired right knee, which requires constant pain management.

Winslow, who also has 169 receiving yards this season, has been limited in practice dating back to training camp because the Jets don’t want to overwork the knee. And Winslow did play in Monday night’s win at Atlanta despite being listed as questionable entering the game. But Winslow, who hasn’t spoken to reporters this week, played just 20 snaps in the game after playing 49, 38, 53 and 49 in the first four games. On Monday, Winslow's only catch was a 1-yard touchdown.

“He seemed to make it through the game OK,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “We’ve been putting him on a pitch count (by limiting his practice action). I thought today he would do a little practice. He did not practice.”

Said Smith: “You can tell that he wants to be out there, and he’s giving it all that he’s got. I know he’s dealt with a few injuries, but he’s given us every single thing that he has. That’s probably the thing that frustrates him more, is that he knows his ability. He knows he can do more, but right now he’s a bit limited.”


(nj.com)

Geno Smith said Kellen Winslow was expressing frustration on the sideline during Monday night's win at Atlanta.
Winslow played behind Jeff Cumberland, seeing one target and playing just 19-of-46 snaps. When approached by reporters after the game for comment, he said the following: "I don't think that would be a good choice." It's not a good look for Winslow with the Jets at 3-2 and turning into one of the league's bigger surprises. He should be happy he has a job considering the chronic knee issues he comes with.


(rotoworld.com)

How much of an impact has your father had on your career?
Kellen Winslow: A lot, but it's mostly self-driven. I've been wanting to do this since I was 5 years old. It's self-motivated. He used to have to tell me to stop watching football. I used to watch his highlights all the time, the Chargers' highlights. He'd be like, 'Read a book or something, stop watching that.' But I knew what I wanted to do. Ever since I could remember, that's what I've been wanting to do. That's why I work so hard at it. It's expected from me. I want to do a lot more in this game. I don't know how much longer I have, but I want to give it my all until I'm done.

There had to be pressure on you, being the son of Kellen Winslow:
KW: My first year playing in high school, I had to ... there were certain expectations for me, but that was my first year playing. But after that, it was just my motivation. I wanted to be better than him.

You're a cycling enthusiast. Why are you so passionate about cycling? Did you start after your motorcycle crash in 2005?
KW: I do it every day, even Sunday on home games. I have to do it in order to be able to run. It's just what I have to do. In the offseason, I do it because I don't run in the offseason. My (surgically repaired) knee just won't allow me to, so that's all I do. I'm able to still play because of cycling. Yeah, definitely, it's because of the motorcycle accident and the staph infection. I actually started in 2009, and I haven't gone off since. Those three or four years I didn't find cycling, it was a real struggle. It still is a struggle, but it's easier for me to be able to run now because of cycling.

You ever look back at the motorcycle accident and say to yourself, 'What was I thinking?'
KW: Of course. How do I put this? I guess everything happens for a reason. I could say a lot of things, but my career has gone the way it's gone because of my drive. I could've easily stopped playing after the accident immediately. Ninety-nine percent would've quit right there. The doctor told me I'd never play again. That motivated me to get back to what I love. I was 22, in Cleveland, bored. Nobody knew, except me, about the bike. I am who I am because of that. It made me a better man. I'm not the same player, but it made me a smarter player. I had staph infection on top of that, and I had to overcome that also. That can end careers also. It's been tough, man.

On Monday night, you'll be on the same field as Tony Gonzalez, arguably the greatest tight end in history. Is there competition in the tight end fraternity?
KW: I haven't had the career he's had. He's been playing so long. I don't know how he does it. He's got those two Pro Bowl receivers over there. He's got a Pro Bowl running back and he's got a Pro Bowl quarterback. It's tough, man. If I'm trying to match him, it's tough. It's fun, though. It's competition and I love it. (Antonio) Gates, (Jason) Witten, Gonzalez, I try to compete with those guys as much as I can and make the best out of my situation.


(espn.com)

Kellen Winslow Jr. was one of those toddlers who never fell down. His father can't remember ever seeing his son trip or display an ounce of clumsiness. From the day he took his first step, he was supremely comfortable in his own body.

"I knew by the age of 7, he was going to be a better athlete than I ever was," said Kellen Winslow Sr., the Chargers' Hall of Fame tight end. "I realized that it was going to be my goal to keep him away from tackle football as long as I possibly could."

Winslow grew up playing youth soccer, basketball and baseball in La Jolla, Calif. He also explored other interests such as music before he was allowed to join his high school football team as a freshman.

Thanks to his father, Winslow grew up knowing that there was a lot more to life than football. And that may go a long way in explaining how Winslow ended up being a Jet this season, how he persevered through two tough periods in his life in which the sport he always loved suddenly was taken away from him.
Winslow, 30, ignited a minor fantasy football frenzy in Week 1 when in his first game in almost a year, he caught seven passes for 79 yards and one touchdown in the Jets' win over Tampa Bay.

The performance caught many off guard, because there had been plenty of people who questioned just how much mileage was left in Winslow when the Jets signed him in May.

From 2006 to 2011, Winslow was one of the most productive tight ends in the league, averaging 72 catches a season. He was able to do this despite ripping up his knee in a motorcycle accident that caused him to miss the entire 2005 season as he battled staph infections and endured knee surgeries.

In 2012, however, Winslow played in only one game -- he had one catch for New England -- after being a late-summer cut by Seattle when he refused to take a salary cut. Though there was speculation that Winslow was cut from the Patriots because of knee troubles, he has said the problem was that by the time he came into camp, he was too far behind in the playbook to compete for time with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

In some ways, sitting out most of last season was as hard as rehabbing from the motorcycle accident. Winslow believed he had the talent to play football on a high level.

"Here I was 29 about to turn 30, and no one was calling," Winslow said last week. "It was hard, really hard. I never lost confidence in my ability, but I lost confidence in the system. I was always determined that I would be back, but there were some days where I wondered if someone was going to want me."
Winslow credits his family -- his father and his wife, Janelle -- for helping him through the darker days.

"Kellen knows that football isn't everything, that there's so much more to his life," said Janelle, whom Winslow first met when he was 14 years old. "He knows his football career is not forever, but when it was taken away from him and not on his terms, it was a hard thing for me to see him go through."

Winslow has a quote on his left forearm from the famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass. "Without struggle there is no progress," it reads. Winslow had it put there after his motorcycle accident, but it continues to inspire him today.

The Jets were the only team to call him this past spring. General manager John Idzik signed him to a one-year contract after a minicamp tryout in June.
So far, it seems to be a great fit. The team has been very careful with his knees, letting him sit out practice on Wednesdays to save the wear and tear. And Winslow has developed a nice bond with rookie quarterback Geno Smith. Despite having no catches in the Jets' win over Buffalo last week, Winslow is the Jets' third-leading receiver with 10 catches for 95 yards.

Coach Rex Ryan admitted that when the Jets signed Winslow, they weren't sure what they were going to get.

"You want Kellen Winslow like you remember Kellen Winslow, and then when he got here, you weren't sure," Ryan said. "He hadn't played, he gets here and you're like, 'Oh, wow.' I see the skills. I see the great hands, the ground running and he moves better than I thought. He really is a warrior, there's no question, and that's what I see about him. He loves to play."

Winslow Sr. thinks the Jets are a great fit for his son. He plans to be at every home game and about half of the away games this season, cheering on the son whom he once wouldn't allow to play football.

"Right now, he's very happy," Winslow Sr. said. "Being there with Rex and Marty [Mornhinweg], it's a good place for him. He's at peace."


(newsday.com)

Rex Ryan has described Kellen Winslow as a "warrior" following his first two games for the New York Jets.

The tight end had been a regular starter with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns earlier in his career, but missed the majority of the 2012 season after brief stints with the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.

When asked about the 30-year-old in a press conference, the head coach said: "I tell you what, it's a great question because you want him to be Kellen Winslow like you remember Kellen Winslow.

"And then when he got here, but you weren't sure, he hadn't played, he gets here and you're like, 'Oh, wow'. I see the skills, I still see the great hands, the great route running and he moves better than I thought.

"He really is a warrior, there's no question and that's what I see about him. He loves to play. You wish every one of these guys, 53 of them, were like that. You wish your coaches were like that, but it's hard to be. It's who he is and I'm proud he's a Jet."


(sportsmole.co.uk)

Kellen Winslow caught three passes for 16 yards on six targets in New York's Week 2 loss to the Patriots.
Winslow's presence wasn't really felt outside of a false-start penalty and nine-yard catch in the third quarter that could have been a touchdown had he not fallen down. Winslow's 14 targets through two games give him a modicum of fantasy value, but he's definitely a barrel-scraping option.


(rotoworld.com)

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - Kellen Winslow Jr. always believed he'd be where he is now.

Even when he was sitting at home a few months ago, anxiously waiting for a phone call from an NFL team - any team, really - that would give him another chance.

"It was very hard,'' the New York Jets tight end said Tuesday. "Besides my motorcycle accident (in 2005), it was the toughest part of my career. And it was unnecessary.''

Winslow played in just one game last year - one catch for New England - after being a late-summer cut by Seattle, a situation at which he is still bitter. He had a solid training camp with the Seahawks, but was released just before the season. Winslow said the move was over money, and he reportedly didn't want to restructure his contract.

"That's just the way they do things over there, I guess,'' he said. "But I'm back, and it's good to be back. I'm happy to be back.''

The Jets offered him a tryout in minicamp in June, signed him a few days later and he could end up being one of the smartest signings of the season - as long as he can stay healthy.

The former Pro Bowl tight end had a terrific debut Sunday, catching a team-leading seven passes for 79 yards and a touchdown in the 18-17 win over Tampa Bay while also serving as a dependable option for rookie quarterback Geno Smith.

"When it's clutch time and it's time to make a play, that's what I live for, man,'' Winslow said. "That's what it's all about. I don't want to let these guys down, and vice versa.''

Winslow is only two years removed from catching 75 passes for Tampa Bay in 2011, but a balky and surgically repaired right knee and the fact he turned 30 this summer might have scared off some teams. Sensing he'd get very little playing time, he asked for his release last season after that one game with the Patriots, who he'll face Thursday night.

"It was just wrong timing,'' he said, adding he enjoyed his brief time in New England. "Rob Gronkowski was there, Wes Welker was there and Aaron Hernandez was coming back real soon from injury, and it was just wrong timing.

"Right team, wrong timing.''

He's certainly hoping the Jets are the right team at the right time.

After allowing Dustin Keller to leave as a free agent, the Jets were thin. During his three-day tryout, Winslow impressed Rex Ryan, flashing some of the skills that made him one of the league's best young tight ends during his first few seasons in Cleveland.

"As soon as the name pops out, you're intrigued,'' Ryan said. "But then when you get here, you realize, `Hey, this guy still has great receiving skills.' He's smart, and he's `a warrior,' to quote himself. That's kind of his mentality, there's no question.

"Is he as good as he once was? Maybe not, but he's pretty darn good.''

Jeff Cumberland is still listed as the team's starter, and Konrad Reuland is a solid blocking tight end, but Winslow provides an invaluable amount of experience whenever. He has caught 445 career passes, including 24 touchdowns, and is a guy the raw Smith will be able to look for.

Just as he did late in the game Sunday, when he connected with Winslow on a 25-yard pass that helped set up the winning field goal.

"Kellen is great, not only from a leadership standpoint, which is something I think he brings to the table every single week, but a physical standpoint,'' Smith said. "He's one of those tight ends who constantly gets open. He can be a safety valve for me. He communicates well, he's extremely smart, he knows defenses. He's just a wily vet.

"It's good to have a guy like that on your side.''

Reuland has been impressed by Winslow's football acumen, something he thinks people might overlook. His ability to read defenses has been something Reuland has tried to pick Winslow's brain about, as well as how he "puts his own little twist on a lot of routes and blocking techniques.''

The one thing, though, that has stood out most to Reuland has been Winslow's desire to be what he once was.

"He's hungry,'' Reuland said. "He's got a chip on his shoulder. He's one hell of a competitor. Really, he's one of the most competitive people I've ever been around. He took last year as 32 teams passed on him.''

Winslow acknowledged that it's just one game, and he has plenty more work to do. The Jets have been routinely given him "rest days'' to make sure he doesn't overdo things in practice.

But he's already on his way to showing 31 other teams that maybe they should have picked up the phone this offseason. Make no mistake, all the doubters still drive Winslow.

"I think I need to be like that,'' he said. "Knowing myself, I have to be that way. It motivates me when guys think they're better than me. It's fun.

"It's all just competition, and I like that.''


(cnnsi.com)

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Kellen Winslow only spent one week with the Patriots last season, but the Jets’ veteran tight end considered it a positive experience.

“It was real good there, just wrong timing,” Winslow said yesterday. “Tom Brady is one of the best I’ve ever seen. The way he leads that team is phenomenal. You understand why they are who they are because of Tom Brady.”

Winslow signed with the Patriots on Sept. 18, three weeks after the Seahawks cut him for refusing to take a pay cut. Winslow had one catch for 12 yards in the Patriots’ 31-30 loss to the Ravens on Sept. 23 and then asked to be released four days later.

“Rob Gronkowski was there, Wes Welker was there, Aaron Hernandez was coming back real soon from injury, and it was just wrong timing,” Winslow said. “Right team, wrong timing. For me, it’s a lot of hard work put into it because of my knee, and it wasn’t worth it with me sitting. It was better for me to just chill out for a year, soak it in and come back next year.”

Winslow’s knee has been problematic since he was in a motorcycle accident in 2005. The injury has prevented him from reaching the potential he possessed when the Browns made him the No. 6 pick in the 2004 draft, but he has been productive throughout his career.

Winslow made the Pro Bowl in 2007 with 82 catches for a career-high 1,106 yards. He signed a six-year, $36 million contract with the Buccaneers in 2009 after they traded for him.

Winslow had 75 catches for 763 yards with the Bucs in 2011 before being traded to the Seahawks. Seattle cut Winslow a week before last season’s opener when he wouldn’t reduce his salary.

“Besides my motorcycle accident, (Seattle) was the toughest part of my career,” Winslow said. “It was unnecessary. That’s just the way they do things over there, I guess. But I’m back, and I’m happy to be back.”

Winslow has found a home with the Jets after impressing the team during a three-day tryout in June. The 30-year-old had a vintage performance in the team’s 18-17 season-opening win against the Buccaneers, catching seven passes for 79 yards and a touchdown.

“I knew I’d be here,” Winslow said. “This is expected of me, and I have a lot more to go. I haven’t really done anything yet. It’s one game and I have a long way to go.”


(bostonherald.com)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Sunday didn't just mark Darrelle Revis' return to the field.

New York Jets tight end Kellen Winslow also made his return after nearly a year off.

And what a return it was for the veteran.

Winslow caught a team-high seven passes for 79 yards and a touchdown to help the Jets to an 18-17 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. It marked Winslow's first game since Sept. 23, 2012, when he played with the Patriots, and his first touchdown since 2011.

"It feels really good," Winslow said. "It was real emotional before the game and I had to control myself. But it felt real good and we came out with the win."

It hasn't been smooth sailing for Winslow since he caught 77 balls for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2011. The Bucs traded him to the Seattle Seahawks in May 2012, and he was cut at the end of the preseason when he wouldn't take a pay cut. He signed with the New England Patriots and played in one game last year, catching one pass for 12 yards, before the Patriots granted him his release.

The Jets took a shot on Winslow in hopes that he might rediscover the form that made him one of the league's top tight ends before his right knee became problematic. To help Winslow manage the pain, the Jets are giving him one rest day per week.

On Sunday, Winslow looked like he hadn't missed a beat, catching seven of the eight passes thrown his way. With 34 seconds left in the first half, he hauled in a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Geno Smith to slice the Buccaneers lead to 14-12.

In the fourth, he had his biggest moment of the game on a 25-yard catch that helped set up the eventual game-winning field goal. Winslow's reception put the Jets at Tampa Bay's 45-yard line, and after Smith ran for 10 yards and drew a personal foul on Tampa Bay, Nick Folk kicked a 48-yard field to win the game.

"He's a tremendous receiver. We all know that," Jets head coach Rex Ryan said. "To make that huge catch at the end, holy cow, and then he runs with it some. [It's a] big play. He gets a touchdown catch. To say I'm surprised by it? No, I'm definitely not surprised by it."

Winslow praised Smith for the job he did, and said he wasn't surprised by the poise he showed in leading the Jets to a win. Smith appreciated having a veteran like Winslow to help him out there.

"To have a guy like that on your side is great," Smith said. "He knows how to get open in zones. He constantly got open all night. He had a really big game for us. He 's one of the main reasons why we were able to pull it out late."


(espn.com)

In an attempt to manage chronic pain in Kellen Winslow's surgically repaired right knee, the Jets will put the veteran tight end on the LaRon Landry program -- meaning he'll be allowed to miss one practice per week. That day, Winslow said, will be Wednesday. That's how they did it last year with Landry, who dealt with an Achilles tendon issue and didn't miss a game.

Wednesday is a heavy day for game-plan installation, but Winslow said he doesn't see that as an issue because Wednesday is devoted primarily to "regular" personnel. Winslow doesn't have many responsibilities in regular groupings, as he plays mostly in passing personnel packages.

That Winslow made the team is no small accomplishment, considering his knee problems. In training camp, his reps were monitored, and there were times when he sat out two or three days in a row.

This is a nice comeback story. Remember, Winslow arrived in minicamp without a contract and had to audition, as if he were a first-year player. He was basically out of football last season, except for a cup of coffee with the Patriots. Monday marked the one-year anniversary he was released by the Seahawks, and that still bothers him.

"I got a bad deal in Seattle," Winslow said. "It was wrong, but things happen for a reason. It gave me a chance to sit down and reflect on what I've accomplished and, moving forward, what I still want to accomplish."

He said he was "very frustrated" not to garner much interest on the free-agent market. He still feels he's the same player who caught 75 passes in 2011 for the Bucs, the Jets' Week 1 opponent. He was a productive player for the Bucs, but he reportedly clashed with coach Greg Schiano, leading to his trade to the Seahawks. Sunday might be a revenge game for Winslow. He's just happy to have a game, period.

"I'm proud and honored to make the team," he said. "That's a big deal, man."


(espn.com)

The Jets convoy was on the move. The team was headed from its residential end of the SUNY Cortland campus back to the football fields across the road for its walk through on its last Sunday in upstate New York. First came Gang Green’s police escort, then a school bus filled with players, followed by another and another. Finally, the fifth and final vehicle made its way in through the gates, carrying a piece of luggage the team would prefer to be handled with care: Kellen Winslow. That trailer car was the tight end's Venge bicycle, with Winslow peddling in the buses' wake.

Winslow on his bike became part of the routine in Cortland. When other players drove, Winslow biked. When other players walked, Winslow biked. And roughly every other day, when other players practiced, Winslow biked.

"Well it just helps keeps my muscles activated," Winslow, 30, said. "Through all the surgeries and stuff, the staph infection (in 2008), your muscles shut off. So I just have to keep them activated, that's why I ride the bike all the time."

The Tour de France becomes something of a tired joke around football training camps: it's a term used to describe the group of injured players rehabbing on the bikes during practices. It's not an enviable position to be in: stationary cycling off to the side while other players try to take their jobs.

For Winslow, the Tour de France was his inspiration. It was watching riders make their way up and down French hills that made him want to try cycling. That's what legs on an athlete ought to look like, he thought when he first watched the race on TV.

"It takes a while, for you to get any definition in your legs like those guys," he said. "It just made sense to me, when I saw them cycling. Something popped in my head -- 'oh yeah, it's just like running...but just without the impact.'"

And so roughly five years ago, Winslow decided to drop his offseason strength training regimen and opt for a cycling plan instead. An hour-and-a-half to two-hour ride per day in San Diego where he lives, coupled with 55 pushups per day and some sit-ups, were the best way to stay in shape, he found. When he's done playing football, Winslow wants to try his hand at racing. Nothing too serious, he said quickly, but he wants to give it a shot.

He took part in the lifting sessions in Cortland, but at a lighter pace than most of his teammates. It doesn't look like the lack of a bench press is hurting him much, and Winslow thinks that at his position, strength is overrated. Other tight ends have more of a hybrid role of blocking and pass-catching, but Winslow sees himself essentially as a pure receiver, so he values quickness and flexibility above muscle mass.

Winslow, a minicamp tryout, has quickly vaulted himself into a valuable skill position player on a team that is starved for receiving talent.

It's because of his talent and age that the Jets have put Winslow on what Ryan terms the "pitch count." He practices only some days, following a similar plan that worked successfully with LaRon Landry last season. But instead of riding the stationary bikes, Winslow grabs his own bicycle and clips it in next to his teammates. The tight end explained that stationary bikes coast when the peddle is on its way back up; his clipped in bike has resistance throughout the full revolution of the peddle, so that it better simulates one of his long rides from the offseason.

"(I) fell in love with it," Winslow said of his cycling. "It challenged me in ways I never knew."


(nydailynews.com)

Now that Kellen Winslow’s getting in better football shape, the tight end expects the Jets to ease up on his pitch count.

“I’m feeling a lot better,” he told Newsday, following his fourth straight day of practice. “The pitch count for me, in my eyes, was mainly for training camp because training camp is such a grind. But I am starting to get more in football shape and more rest, so I don’t need as many pitch counts, per se. Just get any rest.”

Have there been days where the trainers have tried to keep him out of practice and Winslow refused?

“Yeah, that was today,” he said with a laugh, adding that he was scheduled to spend Thursday’s practice in the rehab area.

“You know what you need to get ready,” he said. “You just know what you need. So I had to go today and get what I needed.”


(newsday.com)

Kellen Winslow, Jr., isn’t buying Texans rookie safety D.J. Swearinger’s rationale for his low hit that resulted in a devastating season-ending knee injury to Dolphins tight end Dustin Keller over the weekend.

Keller, who played five seasons with the Jets, tore his ACL, MCL and PCL and dislocated his knee on the play. Winslow thinks low hits aimed at defenseless players should be outlawed.

“It’s just the way he was hit… he’s defenseless,” Winslow told the Daily News. “I’ve been thinking about that (type of) hit for years. The guy’s defenseless... and the (defender) is knifing in at his knees. That’s not cool. That hit should be illegal…. You shouldn’t be knifing in at a guy’s knees when they’re not able to protect themselves.”

“You’re supposed to tackle him like a real tackle,” Winslow added. “My hit vs. Detroit (to prevent an interception by jarring the ball the loose from a defensive player) last week: That’s a real tackle. That’s an old-school tackle. You wrap up. You hit with your shoulder, not your head anyway. That’s how you tackle… not when you’re not able to protect yourself.

Swearinger defended himself by saying that “with the rules in this era, you’ve got to hit low.”

Winslow said that the league should examine low hits to defenseless players with the same vigor as helmet-to-helmet hits. After an impassioned few tweets over the weekend, Winslow clarified that he didn’t think that knee injuries were worse than head injuries. However, he believes the league needs to do more to prevent plays the like the one that knocked out Keller.

“On Twitter, it came out wrong,” Winslow said. “They should (penalize) for those hits the way they’re going after helmet-to-helmet. You’re a defenseless receiver who can’t protect yourself.  You can’t see what’s coming… They shouldn’t be able to knife in at your knees when you’re not able to protect yourself.”

“I just think the helmet-to-helmet rule is so up in the air,” Winslow added. “They don’t even know what they’re calling…. To protect the concussions, they should mandate mouthpieces. That’s what should really happen.”


(nydailynews.com)

CORTLAND, N.Y. – Eight years ago, a motorcycle accident outside a suburb of Cleveland left Kellen Winslow with a torn ACL and a subsequent staph infection, causing him to miss the 2005 NFL season. You'd think he'd stay far away from anything with two wheels after that, but that's not the case.

He has given up his leather jacket for biker shorts, and some horsepower in his Suzuki GSX-R750 motorcycle for a Venge bicycle that he rides every day to and from New York Jets training camp.

After nearly losing his life due to that horrible motorcycle crash, he is channeling his love for the road in a different direction.

Winslow tells Yahoo! Sports that fellow wide receivers Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes have asked about the benefits of bicycling after seeing his passion for it. Not only does he pedal to and from practice, he has brought a “trainer” with him to camp so that he can ride stationary during warmups and on days he is not in pads. He hopes it helps him regain full health following recent struggles with knee injuries that limited him to just one game last season.

“It helps my knee out, keeps me in top shape. I feel great when I do it, I feel lousy when I don’t,” Winslow said. “For training camp, I put it in the back of my car, took the front tire off and just put it in there with the rest of my stuff. That’s all I do in the offseason is ride. I climb those hills in San Diego. Climbing is brutal enough; you don’t have to lift weights if you climb those hills. I do push-ups and upper body stuff but that’s it. That’s my offseason workout – pretty much riding.”

He has looked like a new man in Jets training camp and seems to be a perfect replacement for tight end Dustin Keller, who left via free agency to AFC East rival Miami this past offseason. After being cut by the Seattle Seahawks last preseason and then playing just one game last season with the New England Patriots, he is out to prove his career isn’t over yet.

And cycling, he says, gives him the leg up that he needs to stay healthy. He has become preoccupied with cycling and said that he plans on riding and perhaps competing when his NFL career is over.

He cycles five times a week. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday he rides for roughly 90 minutes and tries to pace at least for 25 miles. On Saturday he ramps it up and logs roughly 50 miles. As grueling as it sounds, he said,“Nothing can beat it.” At 6-4 and 240 pounds he isn’t a prototypical cyclist, but he takes it seriously.

He tracks his mileage and speed, and is obsessed with his physical condition and how his body responds to a ride. On average, his heart rate is 152-157 beats per minutes with a maximum heart rate of 185-187 beats per minute on intense rides. One time, he registered 196 beats per minute on an intense climb.

His wife won’t let him on a motorcycle anymore so he has replaced that thrill with this new love affair. When he’s not bicycling he said he thinks about it and reads up on how to cycle better. He hopes it will translate on the field with stronger legs able to withstand the grueling NFL season. So far in training camp with the Jets he has looked like a player finally healthy and ready to make an impact.

And he thanks the bicycle resting on its training stand just a few yards away, waiting for him to ride it back to the team’s dormitory.

“It takes pressure off your legs, you feel better off of it,” Winslow said. “I’m riding every day. I have to. If I don’t, I just don’t feel right. I’m even thinking about it right now.”


(spots.yahoo.com)

ESPN New York considers Kellen Winslow a "long shot" for an "amazing" comeback.

Winslow only has to beat out plodding Jeff Cumberland for the starting tight end job, but it would be a major surprise if his balky knees cooperate. Winslow appeared in just one game last year and will have his reps monitored during training camp. If he can contribute a little on passing downs come the regular season, the Jets should consider it a success.


(rotoworld.com)

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. -- Kellen Winslow, Jr., only played in a handful of snaps last season, but the former Pro Bowl tight end has set some lofty goals for himself with the Jets.

“I averaged around 72 (catches per season over my career),” Winslow said on Friday. “My job is to just make plays. When it comes my way, just make the play. I can exceed that. My goal is always to catch 100 balls. Haven’t done it yet, but that’s my goal. I want to come close.”

The Jets signed Winslow, who has 438 career receptions, including 75 in his last full season (2011), after his three-day tryout at minicamp last month. Winslow, who will turn 30 in a couple weeks, only had one reception last season before the Patriots released him. Rex Ryan praised Winslow’s skillset during minicamp, but the biggest question centers on the veteran’s ability to stay healthy. Winslow has been plagued by troublesome knees in the past few years.

It’s the likely the Jets will manage his workload when training camp begins in a couple weeks.

“I’m sure they have a plan for me,” said Winslow, who warmed up and cooled down at Mark Sanchez’s annual Jets West passing camp by biking a few laps around the track. “I’ll be in shape. They’ll take care of me.”

The Jets turned to Winslow to bolster a thin and inexperienced tight end corps that includes Jeff Cumberland and Konrad Reuland.

“I feel the same like every year,” Winslow said. “Nothing has really changed. It’s all about maintaining and keeping my legs strong. I feel good. This is a great opportunity for me.”

“I’m just coming in trying to be a piece to the puzzle and make plays for the team,” he later added. “I’m lucky to have a job so I’m just happy to be back.”

While players like Geno Smith opted to skip Mark Sanchez’s annual Jets West passing camp, it hold plenty of valuable for Winslow.

“I’m behind in the offense,” Winslow said. “I had a three-day minicamp. So I got to catch up. This is good for me learning the offense and seeing what Mark’s about and how he handles himself. I’m real impressed.”


(nydailynews.com)

As the Jets get close to training camp, I am going to examine the roster and give you my top 25 players on the Jets roster. Each weekday we will reveal another person on the list, leading right into camp. I am not including rookies on this list because I do not feel it is possible to fully evaluate them before they play a game. Hope you enjoy.

No. 18: KELLEN WINSLOW
Last year’s ranking: Unranked/not on team
Position: Tight End
Age: 29
How acquired: Signed as a free agent on June 14, 2013
Contract status: 1 year, $840,000 remaining

Looking back at 2012: Winslow played in just one game for the Patriots and caught one pass. He joined the Patriots after being released by the Seahawks prior to the season when he refused to rework his contract.

Winslow has a bad right knee that scared off teams from bringing him in. He has had several surgeries on the knee, including microfracture in 2007. He did not draw much interest this offseason until the Jets invited him to minicamp as a tryout player and liked what they saw.

Outlook for 2013: Expectations seem a little too high for Winslow, who turns 30 before camp, from fans. It is highly unlikely he will be the player that starred for the Browns and Buccaneers, but if he can stay on the field Winslow could be a nice pickup for the Jets.

The team is very thin at tight end and it needs some playmakers on the field. If Winslow is right, he can be that guy. He will be competing with Jeff Cumberland for the starting job, a competition he should be able to win.

The Jets took a chance on LaRon Landry last year after he had battled injuries throughout prior years and it worked. The training staff crafted a plan that kept Landry rested and on the field and he wound up in the Pro Bowl. Expect Winslow to have similar practice restrictions as the Jets try to get whatever is left out of him.


(nypost.com)

Kellen Winslow's one-year contract with the Jets is worth $840,000 and contains no guaranteed money.

Winslow didn't even get a signing bonus. It's a reminder that although he's the most talented tight end on the roster, he's not a lock to make the final 53. Winslow must prove that his knees can survive a full training camp.


(rotoworld.com)

New York Jets TE Kellen Winslow impressed in a tryout in minicamp, leading to a one-year contract. However, an opposing personnel executive is not sold Winslow can be 100 percent effective anymore. "I think it's a lot like (former QB David Garrard). He'll be fine in a workout, moving and running, but taking a hit, the grind of training camp and a full, 16-game season will be the litmus test," the executive said. "I'd watch him closely to see if they manage his reps and practice time."

Fantasy Tip: Winslow has had multiple knee surgeries since 2005, including microfracture surgery in 2007. Last season, Winslow said he plays in constant pain, so it is uncertain if he suddenly feels better or is just saying the right things to get a job. Either way, his fantasy appeal is rather minimal heading into the regular season, if he even makes it that far.


(kffl.com)

The New York Jets have signed tight end Kellen Winslow, Jr., according to multiple reports.

Winslow, a former first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns, has bounced around the NFL in recent years, most recently with the New England Patriots briefly last year, as he caught one pass for them.

Winslow was in the Jets mini-camp this week on a tryout basis and made good on that opportunity by landing himself a contract and another shot in the NFL


(nationalfootballpost.com)

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Indications were the New York Jets would sign Kellen Winslow II if he made it through minicamp healthy.

The veteran tight end did just that, so it's seemingly only a matter of time before he joins a team that could use a playmaker at that position after the loss of Dustin Keller to the Miami Dolphins via free agency.

If and when Winslow signs, he believes it will be a nice end to a recent run of bad news.

"It's been a rough go-round, I guess," said the former sixth-overall pick, who appeared in only one game for the New England Patriots last year after the Seattle Seahawks released him. "This last year, when you can't control it, you get cut, you get traded, you just can't control it.

"But I'll tell you I'm very hungry. I've always been hungry. Whenever I step out on the football field, I want to beat my opponent. I just want to help this team and make plays for them."

Jets general manager John Idzik said he appreciated the chance to see Winslow over a three-day period rather than taking a quick look at him during a standard workout.

"We'll talk about (signing Winslow)," he said. "What's nice about minicamp environments, you get three days, unlike when you bring street guys in for free-agent workouts, you may get them on the field for 45 minutes to an hour.

"In minicamps, we get three days with them to teach them some things and see how they apply it. We thought Kellen did a nice job given the fact he got off the plane, got into a meeting and a couple hours later, he got out on the field. All things considered, he did a pretty good job."

Some players and agents prefer to have a player work out individually rather than participate in a full minicamp. Winslow's agent Drew Rosenhaus also encouraged Donte' Stallworth to do the full minicamp with the Washington Redskins.

Stallworth signed and now Winslow, who took a blood test just before talking to reporters, seems to be next.

"I am a dynamic player. I'm more of a receiver type," Winslow, who has five seasons of 66 catches or more, said when asked if he sees a chance to get back to making plays. "We have bigger bodies (on the roster) and I'm more of a receiver type. Everybody's a playmaker on this team."

Well, that last part is an exaggeration. The Jets need all the help they can get. And should he indeed sign with the Jets, Winslow needs to prove he can stay healthy after a few knee surgeries in his career.

"You just get smarter, do smarter things for your body," Winslow said. "Live in the ice tub, take care of your legs and be OK."


(usatoday.com)

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Kellen Winslow has already made an impression on Jets coach Rex Ryan. From the very first play, Ryan noticed the tight end, who is on a three-day tryout with the Jets.

“The one thing that jumps out at you is his skill and athleticism,” Ryan said. That’s something that jumps out at you, that he still has that and from the very first play that he’s in there, you can still see that.”

Winslow didn’t play a full season last year. He was briefly with the Patriots, and before that played three seasons with Tampa Bay after being drafted in the first round by Cleveland in 2004. Ryan, as defensive coordinator for the Ravens, was often frustrated by Winslow’s ability.

“I think having that kind of weapon, he’s such an athlete,” Ryan said. “Kellen’s never been a hired killer as a blocker, he tries you know, but as an athlete and a receiver, whoo. Of the two or three grey hairs I have in my head, like two billion of them or whatever, he’s contributed to some of those I can tell you.”

Here's what Winslow had to say about his first day with the Jets on Tuesday. After Wednesday's practice, Winslow said he felt optimistic about the possibility that the Jets would sign him.

The Jets also have wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker in as a tryout for the minicamp, and he didn’t leave the same impression.

“He never jumped out at me the way that Kellen did,” Ryan said. “So we’ll see how he does today.”


(espn.com)

Kellen Winslow Jr. said all the right things and made a number of positive plays on Tuesday during the first day of Jets minicamp, which also doubled as a tryout for the former first-round draft pick of the Browns. With the team's tight end situation in a state of flux, the oft-injured Winslow Jr. could provide a helpful spark for the Jets if he can show glimpses of the talent that once earned him the riches contract ever for a tight-end at $36 million over six years with Tampa Bay in 2009.

After a disastrous stint with the Patriots last year in which he suited up for just one game, the 29-year-old is trying to breathe new life into his once fabulous career. He was home Saturday, his future in doubt when he got a call from the Jets inviting him to the three-day camp.

“My job is to make plays and however it works out that’s how it works out,” he said following practice at the team’s Florham Park, N.J. facility. “I’m a playmaker and my job is just to make plays. So I’m just trying to make the team.”

Winslow was a conspicuous presence on 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 drills Tuesday as he caught passes from both Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith -- he made a particularly nice diving catch on a pass from Smith. Winslow dismissed the idea that not knowing the starting quarterback made it difficult for him to find his comfort zone.

“No, I’m just trying to learn the offense,” he said. “I got a lot to learn and my job is to learn the offense and try and make this team.”

Winslow was an All-American at the University of Miami and was selected sixth overall in the 2004 draft by the Browns, before a motorcycle accident nearly ended his career. But Winslow Jr. returned to the Browns, telling the Associated Press in 2006 that even at 90% he was “still better than every tight end out there.”

He backed up those words, finishing with 82 catches for 1,106 yards in 2007 and was named a first alternate to the Pro Bowl behind Antonio Gates before Gates backed out and Winslow took his place. He then embarked on a record-breaking season with the Buccaneers, setting a new franchise record for catches (77) and receiving yards (884) in 2009.

“Well, I have years left,” he said on Tuesday of the shelf-life of his career. “My last year was 2011 [when] I caught 75 balls and so I’ve been productive. It’s just the NFL. It’s how it goes sometimes. You get cut, you get traded, and you can’t do anything about it. It’s out of my control, you know?”

He described the process of waiting around for a team to show interest in him as painful because of the uncertainty involved. Winslow received comfort from his Hall of Fame father, Kellen Sr., but mostly from his wife, Janelle, he said.

“It was hard, very hard,” he said. “It’s a situation that I’ve never gone through, probably one of the hardest situations I’ve ever [had]. You don’t know what your future holds and this is my dream and when it’s taken away like that it’s hard, very hard.”

Asked if it was emotionally uncomfortable for a former Pro Bowler to be relegated to having to audition to make the team, he said, “Not really, not at all. I’ve had a real productive career, not awkward at all. This is how the NFL is. It’s a business and I’ve been very productive.”

Besides, it beats the alternative, which was to be “sitting on the couch. So I’m going to prove myself and try and impress the coaches.”


(nydailynews.com)

It’s been a quiet offseason for free agent tight end Kellen Winslow, who claimed in March that multiple teams were interested in him but hasn’t seen that alleged interest turn into a contract offer. But Winslow has finally found a team that’s at least interested enough to take a look.

Winslow will get a tryout at the Jets’ minicamp next week.

On Twitter, Winslow showed his excitement by tweeting the “J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!!!” cheer.

A bad knee has plagued Winslow since the infamous motorcycle accident that ended his 2005 season before it began, and the 29-year-old Winslow played in just one regular-season game last season, catching one pass with the Patriots. But the Jets think he has enough left that he’s at least worth a look. We’ll see at the end of minicamp on Thursday whether they also think he’s worth signing to a contract.


(profootballtalk.com)

Cleveland Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski said Wednesday, April 17, that he has not had any conversations with free-agent TE Kellen Winslow (Seahawks) about returning, but he didn't discount the notion either. "Not specifically with him coming back but I've kept in touch with Kellen over time. Obviously, I've known him and been close with him for a long time," Chudzinski said.



(kffl.com)

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported a week ago that the Oakland Raiders are interested in free-agent tight end Kellen Winslow now that his knee is in better shape than it was last season.

Appearing on NFL Network's "NFL AM" on Monday, Winslow revealed he also has heard from the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers.

The Browns' interest is no surprise. New coach Rob Chudzinski is tight with Winslow after coaching him at the University of Miami and in Cleveland. It remains to be seen if Winslow still is on the Browns' radar following their Kellen Davis signing.

The Panthers have been looking for a second tight end to pair with Greg Olsen.

Winslow "definitely" plans on playing in 2013, attributing his 2012 disappearing act to other priorities involving family matters. The key will be convincing the Raiders, Browns or Panthers that he's healthy and fully committed to football.

UPDATE: The Plain Dealer reports the Browns are not interested in signing Winslow and have not reached out to the tight end about a potential reunion. According to The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns plan to go with Jordan Cameron as their starter, with Davis as the No. 2 tight end.


(nfl.com)

The Cleveland Browns have already made a few big splashes in free agency by signing Paul Kruger and Desmond Bryant and the team could be making another move soon, as they try to replace tight end Benjamin Watson, who signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent.

According to NFL.com, the Raiders are interested in signing Kellen Winslow, as are the Cleveland Browns, as he was a former star for the team and also has a relationship with new head coach Rob Chudzinski, who worked with Winslow while at the University of Miami. Winslow is a free agent after being released by the Patriots last season and according to the report, he is finally fully healthy after dealing with knee surgery.

The Raiders are interested in Winslow after losing Brandon Myers, who led the team with 79 catches for 806 yards and four touchdowns, while the Browns want to replace Watson. The team may have an advantage after Chudzinski coached Winslow at Miami and he could be a solid addition to the offense for Brandon Weeden, who is expected to be challenged in his second year as a starter.

Winslow had some of his most productive years in Cleveland, although while he was with the Browns he was also in his motorcycle accident. The 29-year-old is young enough to still be an impact player and he could help Weeden with the more intermediate routes and the middle of the field. The Browns had tried to go after Jared Cook, but he signed with the Dolphins.

Watson signed a three-year deal with the Saints and will bring solid hands and blocking skills to New Orleans. Watson made 49 catches for 501 yards and three touchdowns last season and has 321 career receptions for 3,776 yards and 28 TDs in his time with the Patriots and Cleveland. He has played in at least 12 games every season except 2004 and he played in all 16 games in two of his three years in Cleveland.

Winslow was with the Patriots last season and made one catch before being released, but it was a mutual parting. He has dealt with injuries in the past, but he appears healthy for the first time in a number of years and could show the form he had when he signed a six-year, $36 million deal a few years ago.

Winslow appeared to be one of the top tight ends in football while with the Browns and he was productive with Tampa Bay after being traded, making 77 catches for 884 yards in his first season and the following year he led the team with 66 catches for 730 yards. Winslow was eventually traded to the Seahawks and then released. The team also could try to steal Dennis Pitta away from the rival Ravens.

The Browns would love to improve their offense heading into next season and if Winslow can produce like he did in 2007 when he had 1,106 receiving yards, the team could be much better in 2013. The team ranked 25th in passing yards per game with 245 and new owner Jimmy Haslam has said he wants to upgrade the offense and the quarterback position. 


(sportsworld.net.com)

The Oakland Raiders looked into signing Kellen Winslow late last September after the tight end was released by the New England Patriots. Once Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie opted to pass, Winslow didn't play another down the rest of the season.

Now that Winslow's surgically repaired knee is feeling better, the Raiders again are expressing interest, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Monday.

While McKenzie had no need for Winslow last season with Brandon Myers exceeding expectations, he now has a vacancy at the position after Myers signed with the New York Giants.

We wouldn't be surprised if Winslow also is on the Cleveland Browns' radar after they lost out on Jared Cook and allowed Ben Watson to depart. New Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski also has a close relationship with Winslow after coaching him at the University of Miami as well as in Cleveland.

Even with Winslow's newfound optimism over his knee, it's no guarantee NFL doctors will give him a passing grade on a physical.

The 29-year-old acknowledged last summer that 99 percent of NFL players would retire rather than play through the pain in his six-time surgically repaired knee. As recently as January, The Plain Dealer noted that Winslow still was "suffering from tremendous pain" in the knee.

Has resting his leg for the majority of the 2012 season made that much of a difference in his health?


(nfl.com)

Beyond Kellen’s skills on the football field, he is an experienced and talented DJ (DJK2). DJK2 was the guest DJ for “DJ Friday’s” segment this past Friday on ABC’s Good Morning America.

You can check out his skills on his Official Soundcloud  and visit his website  for booking details.