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.

So why did tight end Kellen Winslow want out of New England?  Per a league source, Winslow wanted more playing time.

If that’s the case, he could have gotten more playing time this weekend, given that receiver Julian Edelman (hand) is out, and tight end Rob Gronkowski is surprisingly listed as questionable with a hip injury.

On Friday, coach Bill Belichick told the media during a press conference that Winslow was cut for “personal reasons.”

“Yesterday I had a discussion with Kellen and at the end of that discussion, we talked about several different things, at the end of that discussion, I felt that it was best that we release Kellen for personal reasons so that’s what we did,” Belichick said in comments distributed by the team.

So the “personal reasons” apparently were that Winslow is personally looking for more playing time. It’ll be interesting to see whether he gets that opportunity elsewhere.


(profootballtalk.com)

Blink and you might have missed Kellen Winslow's tenure with the New England Patriots.

The one-week stay ended Thursday in somewhat mysterious fashion. It was widely reported that Winslow requested his release from the Patriots. Coach Bill Belichick supported that notion Friday, saying the release was for "personal reasons."

"We talked about several different things," Belichick said, according to The Boston Globe. "At the end of that discussion, I felt that it was best that we release Kellen for personal reasons. So that's what we did."

It's possible Winslow just didn't feel healthy enough to continue, even though he wasn't on the Patriots' injury report. Maybe he realized he didn't want to be a No. 3 or No. 4 tight end after such a productive career. Perhaps the Patriots are just doing Winslow and his agent a favor by saying it was Winslow's choice to leave. (This happens more than you think.)

No matter what the reason, Winslow's tenure in New England is over. The only question is if the former top-10 pick will get another chance in the NFL.

UPDATE: Winslow tweeted his thanks to the Patriots.


(nfl.com)

Kellen Winslow Jr.isn't Chad Johnson. So there were no wild proclamations about landing in heaven or being given his angel wings during Winslow's first meeting with the New England media, but it sounds like the tight end may have found his version of nirvana.

"I've never been in a situation like this. They do things and they practice and play the game like you're supposed to," said Winslow, who previously played for Cleveland and Tampa Bay. "Teams model themselves after the Patriots."

Those exact words, or some variation, have been uttered so often by incoming players that they border on becoming cliche, but something about Winslow's demeanor breathed substance into the typically hollowing offering.

Maybe it's because the recent turmoil he's faced could be felt in his voice or that he stopped to let his eyes grow wide before proclaiming that the Patriots "use tight ends the right way." Whatever the case, Winslow seems genuinely grateful for the his latest opportunity after being released by Seattle in late August.
And make no mistake, being dumped by the Seahawks still hurts.

"With what happened in Seattle ... I can't say much about what happened, man," said Winslow, who caught 75 passes for 763 yards last season for Tampa Bay. "It is what it is. I have to move on."

What led to his exile from Seattle is likely the same reason gates didn't open in Foxborough when he visited the Patriots two weeks ago. Teams are scared of his right knee, which has been operated on at least five times since a 2005 motorcycle accident.

Winslow didn't fail his physical with the Patriots, as was previously reported, but they were concerned enough with his health that the tight end believed the door shut behind him when he left town.

"It just didn't work out," he said.

The doubters have motivated Winslow. He knows that he wouldn't be in New England if Aaron Hernandez hadn't suffered a low-ankle sprain that is expected to keep him out for at least four games, and that he has to prove his knee can hold up through Halloween if his spot in nirvana is become more than a sublet.

But those concerns may not be fair. Winslow is quick to note that he hasn't missed a game since 2008 and that he he's been unfairly labeled as a permanent injury risk, though he does admit that he every time he takes the field he does so with a great deal of pain.

"I would say will, man. Overcome," Winslow said when asked how he fights through the pain. "It's my dream to play. Like I said, if I was missing games every year or something like that, it would be true."

Now Winslow has to overcome more than just his pain. He needs to conquer the Patriots' playbook -- "it's extensive," Winslow said -- in a short period of time if he hopes to make any type of impact filling in for Hernandez.

He's only been in the system for a day, but Winslow feels that he's making progress, though he wasn't willing to say if he would be ready in time for Sunday's game against Baltimore.

"We'll see. It's just my job to make plays when it comes to me and I just have to get the offense down," Winslow said. "I have a lot of work to do."

He does. But, for perhaps the first time in his career, the payoff could amount to more than individual accolades. Just having that chance, for many veteran players, is the very definition of nirvana.


(cbssports.com)

FOXBOROUGH -- Newly-signed tight end Kellen Winslow sees some similarities between himself and the player some might assume he was brought in to replace, Aaron Hernandez.

The Patriots announced on Wednesday that Winslow had been signed, and with Hernandez expected to be out indefinitely with an ankle injury, there should be an opportunity for the eight-year veteran to make a contribution.

Like Deion Branch, also signed this week, Winslow said he had chances to land elsewhere. Why the Patriots?

"It was a good fit. I've never been in this kind of situation," Winslow said before Thursday's practice. "But a situation arose where Aaron got hurt, and we're kind of similar, so I'm going to come in here and help out."

Similarities?

"You just have to watch tape, but yeah, there's some similarities there," Winslow said. "He's probably one of the most versatile tight ends in the game, if not the most. He goes all around the field. He can play any position. He's very versatile in what he does and he's smart. He's a very good player."

Winslow spent his first five seasons with Cleveland, and the past three in Tampa Bay. He was released by the Seahawks during the final cut-down day last month following a preseason where he caught three passes, including a touchdown.

One of the reasons floated for Winslow's release was because of lingering knee concerns. He chose not to disclose what the Seahawks told him when they let him go -- "It doesn't matter, I'm moving on" -- but admitted that his knees hurt when he plays. A lot.

"The thing I concentrate on is not missing games, because then there is nothing held against me," said Winslow, who has played in all 16 games five of the past six seasons.

He's had success with the two teams he's played with so far, and the Patriots have built quite the tight end-centric offense. Winslow might eventually be a very good fit, but has spent the majority of his time so far learning the team's plays.

"At the end of the day, football is football. What they're doing here, the volume of the playbook is a lot. It's going to take some time to get used to," Winslow said. "It's verbage and getting used to the calls, getting used to Tom's cadence."


(boston.com)

FOXBORO — The last two days, tight end Kellen Winslow has darted in and out of the Patriots [team stats]’ locker room, trying to assimilate himself as quickly as possible.

Sometimes, it’s been the simple stuff, briskly walking to the equipment room to pick up cleats and new team apparel. Other times, it’s been for a quick meeting to better understand the lay of the land.

And during those precious free moments, he has gotten a chance to take a seat at his locker and bury himself in the playbook. For someone like Winslow, a 29-year-old former Pro Bowler who is trying to find a permanent role on his third team in five months, there can’t be any wasted time.

“I’ve been in the playbook nonstop,” Winslow said. “There’s a lot of work to be done. I’m just trying to get the offense down and try to find my way in the offense.”
Winslow didn’t seem frantic or overwhelmed yesterday when he took a few minutes to chat. He simply came across as a guy who wanted to make the most of a big-time situation.

He said he had been in contact with a couple of other teams, but Winslow saw an opportunity to join the Patriots after Aaron Hernandez went down with an ankle injury. Since the two tight ends are similarly athletic and versatile in their ability to line up in different spots, Winslow believed he could carve out a role for himself in Hernandez’s absence.

“It’s how tight ends should be used, and they do a good job,” Winslow said of the way the Patriots have employed Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. “They do a real good job.”

The chances of it happening are a great unknown. Recent seasons have shown how difficult it can be for a player to walk in and immediately find success with Tom Brady [stats]. Then again, tight ends have an obviously significant role in the Patriots’ offense, so Winslow will get his chance if he has a good first week of practice.

When asked how to make himself stick out on an offense that is overstocked with tight ends, Winslow simply said, “Just make plays, and they’ll find a way.”

Another question has been Winslow’s surgically repaired knee, though he has heard about that one for years. And still, he hasn’t missed a game since 2008. Winslow smiled when asked about the amount of pain that he has played through in his career.

“The thing I concentrate on is not missing games because then there’s nothing to hold against me,” said Winslow, who noted he did not work out for the Pats during his first visit earlier this month.

And then, Winslow scurried away one more time. There was still work to do.

Safety plan

Patriots practice squad safety Cyhl Quarles is earning his money this week. The undrafted rookie was with the Ravens from May through training camp, so he has taken it upon himself to give Brady a good look on the scout team defense, emulating both Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard.

To be fair, Brady has gotten a decent grasp of the Ravens’ defense in the teams’ four meetings since 2009, and that will ultimately be more helpful than Quarles’ information. But still, Quarles has taken pride in his role this week.

“Showing different blitzes and coming out,” Quarles said of the looks he has presented at practice. “Say if I’ve got to blitz on one side and come out and show some cover-2. Or show like I’m coming down in a fire zone then back out to cover-2, or show I’ve got a cover-2 then go back to the middle third. Stuff like that, simple things.”


(bostonherald.com)

While talking with the media during today’s conference call, Bill Belichick wouldn’t get into specifics in regards to tight end Kellen Winslow, who the team has reportedly signed. With Aaron Hernandez (ankle) going down in the Patriots’ 20-18 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, the addition of Winslow would allow the Pats to continue to run their two tight end set.

When asked what Winslow brings to the table, Belichick said, “I’m not going to talk about any players that aren’t on our current active roster.”

This isn’t the first time that Belichick or the the Patriots have signed someone in season with the hopes that they can play come Sunday. Though the situation, to have Winslow play this weekend against the Baltimore Ravens, isn’t ideal, Belchick says it’s something he’s done before - with success.

“It definitely depends on the player,” said Belichick. “When we were in Cleveland, we signed Mike Tomczak and he started at quarterback that week, after our other two quarterbacks got injured.

“Mike did a good job. He worked hard. He actually played pretty competitively and thought he had a pretty decent year for us. Obviously, it’s not an ideal situation but we did it last year, brought guys in too. Played them in the nickel or started them, played the for 30 or 40 plays a game. Signed guys and not played them at all. (It) depends on circumstances, all the circumstances that surround the player in the game situation. I don’t think there’s any real book on that.”

The offense looked stagnant on Sunday in their three wide receiver set. Hopefully the addition of Winslow, who caught 75 passes for 763 yards last year, will allow them to use multiple tight ends, like they did in Week 1.

In regards to Hernandez, Belichick said the team will have an update tomorrow after practice.


(boston.com)

The New England Patriots were not going to stop using dual-tight end sets. They love the formation too much. In fact, the Patriots looked lost without it Sunday in a loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

That is why it was good move for the reigning AFC champs to sign the best tight end on the market: Kellen Winslow Jr. A source tells the AFC East blog Tuesday morning that New England has agreed to a one-year contract with the former Pro Bowler.

Winslow brings many of the same skills the Patriots lost with injured tight end Aaron Hernandez, who will be out a few weeks with an ankle injury. Winslow is athletic with very good hands. He's averaged 73 receptions and 792.3 yards the past three seasons.

The Patriots did not want to shelve a large portion of their offensive playbook until Hernandez returned. Winslow can fill that void and allow quarterback Tom Brady to run the successful two-tight end sets that led New England to the Super Bowl last season. The Patriots' offense struggled without the formation on Sunday and didn't score a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter.

New England has enough issues on its plate. The pass protection is inconsistent. Pro Bowl receiver Wes Welker is mysteriously losing playing time and the team is .500 with a tough upcoming stretch against the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos.

The addition of Winslow plugs a hole on offense and gives New England one less thing to worry.


(espn.com)

Russell Wilson threw seven incomplete passes in the final minute of Sunday's game, targeting a total of four different receivers. None of them were named Kellen Winslow.

Winslow wasn't on Seattle's roster Sunday. Still wasn't Tuesday even after Charly Martin suffered a bruised lung in Arizona that will keep him out at least a couple of weeks.

The Seahawks released Winslow eight days before the start of the season, cutting a player who has more receptions over the past five seasons than all but two tight ends in the league.

They made that move with an eye toward their long-term plans, but it also came at a short-term cost. Seattle let go of a very productive player who had spent the past four months learning this offense and preparing to play a prominent role.

It would be simple-minded and silly to chalk a four-point defeat up to any single player who appeared in the game let alone one who didn't, but after revisiting the nitty-gritty offensive details of Seattle's season-opening loss it would be naïve to dismiss the possibility Winslow could have made a difference in the outcome.

Seattle's passing offense was an eyesore for a good chunk of Sunday's game as its single-most productive play was defensive pass interference. That's how Seattle gained 27 yards on its first possession of the game, which matched the Seahawks' longest play from scrimmage. It's also how Seattle gained its last two first downs of the game.

Seattle got three catches from its trio of tight ends during the game, all by starter Zach Miller. Anthony McCoy was targeted once, and Evan Moore — the player Seattle signed to replace Winslow — was on the field for exactly one play.

But the most significant part of Seattle's struggles occurred in Arizona's half of the field when the quarters got cramped. Seattle started four possessions in Cardinals territory and it failed to gain a first down on two of them, settling for field goals when a touchdown would have made all the difference.

And on the Seahawks' final possession, when only a touchdown would do, Seattle ran seven plays inside Arizona's red zone.

It was just the kind of opportunity that made Winslow such an intriguing acquisition this summer. He's not a downfield threat so much as mismatch underneath the defense. He's too big for defensive backs to handle, but too agile and adept a receiver for a linebacker. Only Dallas' Jason Witten and Atlanta's Tony Gonzalez caught more balls the previous five seasons.

But Winslow was gone, released before the Seahawks were obligated for the entirety of his $3.3 million salary and replaced by Moore as Seattle swapped out a player with a history of production for one it saw with more potential.

"Kellen has been a great big-time performer for a long time, and there's no doubt about that," coach Pete Carroll said last week before the game. "He showed us why. You could see it, but it's a big exchange that we make because it's long-haul thinking. We're not just thinking about the immediate."

That's very clear. Moore has 62 career receptions while Winslow has averaged more than 70 each of the past three years. But Moore is also two years younger, a whole lot healthier and at 6 feet 6 he might become a contributor for years to come while Winslow might not have had more than a season in Seattle even if he had taken a paycut.

"We want to continue to build for the future," Carroll explained last week, "and make sure we always have our eye on that. Going with a guy that's younger that's in great shape and all of that, we felt like we could make a good exchange here and get the production that we need."

That still might turn out to be true. But on Sunday — when 4 yards separated Seattle from a victory — the Seahawks needed just one more play, and they didn't have Winslow available as they tried to find a way to crack Arizona's red-zone defense.


(seattletimes.com)

Free-agent tight end Kellen Winslow did not fail his physical with the New England Patriots, as has been reported, according to two league sources. The Patriots were aware of the questions about his knees, but they did not fail him on his physical.

Winslow was released by the Seahawks last Saturday. The team originally acquired him in a trade with Tampa Bay in May.

Winslow has a base salary of $3.3 million for the 2012 season, which would have been guaranteed if he was on the roster for the season opener.

The Patriots did make moves at tight end on Wednesday, signing veteran free agent Michael Hoomanawanui and placing Visanthe Shiancoe on injured reserve.

The Patriots also have Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Daniel Fells filling tight end spots on the roster, so the interest in Winslow may have fallen into the "in case of emergency" category.

Winslow, 29, has caught 437 passes for 4,836 yards and 23 touchdowns in seven seasons and made the Pro Bowl while with the Browns in 2007. He caught 75 passes for 763 yards and two scores last season.

Hoomanawanui, who was released by the Rams on Sunday, had 20 catches in two seasons with the St. Louis.


(espn.com)

Consider this a sort of follow-up post to the one we had Tuesday on Tampa Bay making a smart salary-cap move when getting rid of a guy that clearly had no future on coach Greg Schiano’s team.

That one was on defensive tackle Amobi Okoye. Before releasing Okoye with a $400,000 injury settlement, the Bucs restructured his contract to wipe out $700,000 in guaranteed base salary and also cut the player a break by eliminating offset language that could have helped the Bucs recoup some of Okoye’s salary when he signed with the Bears. The Bucs simply wanted a problem off their hands and they were able to do it with a relatively minimal cap hit. Okoye will cost them $600,000. He could have cost as much as $2 million.

Now, there’s another former Buc that I’m thinking about. That’s tight end Kellen Winslow. The Bucs traded him to Seattle and lost their chance of getting a draft pick in return when the Seahawks released Winslow. So what, it only would have been a seventh-round choice. The latest on Winslow is that he’s still looking for a team to play for after the New England Patriots showed some interest, but elected not to sign him.

The Bucs didn’t get anything in return for Winslow, but the beauty here is that he’s not costing them a dime in salary-cap space this year. Winslow had been scheduled to make $3.3 million this year under his original Tampa Bay contract, plus he could have earned a lot more incentives. Winslow’s base salary was scheduled to jump to $4.5 million in 2013 and $5.5 million in 2014, and both of those years also included lots of potential incentives.

The Bucs have plenty of cap space this year. But they already have a lot of cap space committed to 2013 and 2014. Winslow and Schiano obviously weren’t going to co-exist in the short term or the long term.

I’ve just checked the salary-cap situation on Winslow and the Bucs. There’s no pro-rated money hanging out there. They’ll never have to take any salary-cap hit for the tight end (although Seattle takes a $500,000 cap hit for a guy that never played a down there). I think you can say this one is a case of no cost, no foul.


(espn.com)

FOXBORO -- Tight end Kellen Winslow will not be joining the Patriots anytime soon after failing his physical, according to a report by CSN New England. 

Winslow, 29, has chronic problems with his knees and was released last week by the Seahawks after reportedly refusing to take a pay cut. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound tight end caught 75 passes last season but only two for touchdowns for the Buccaneers. Winslow - the sixth overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Browns - seriously injured his right knee in a motorcycle accident in 2005. He has had several surgeries on the knee since, including microfracture surgery in 2007. 

Another tight end, Visanthe Shiancoe was also reportedly placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, and designated as the Patriots player eligible to return this season from IR as part of the new rule in the NFL this season. 


(weei.com)

The Minutemen were Patriots.  The Minutemen were soldiers.  Kellen Winslow is a soldier.  And so it makes sense for the Patriots to be interested in Kellen Winslow.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Patriots are bringing in Kellen Winslow for a visit.

If signed, Winslow would join a group of tight ends that includes Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, and Visanthe Shiancoe.  Then there’s Jake Ballard, whom the Pats claimed on waivers and will carry on injured reserve.

There’s no indication Winslow, who was cut Saturday by the Seahawks, will be offered a contract.  If he is, it’s more proof of the extent to which the Pats are transforming NFL offense with big guys who can run and catch.

That said, the Pats likely would wait until after Week One to make a move.  If Winslow is signed now, his full base salary would be essentially guaranteed, via the termination pay provision of the CBA.


(profootballtalk.com)

The kid who lived down the street had size. He looked like an athlete, even at seven years old. He was big, muscular even. But he never played sports. His name was John, but he went by Kevin. People told me his father was the late John Mackey, the Hall of Fame tight end and one of the most magnificent players ever to play ‘ball. But I wasn’t sure of this because I never saw him. I saw the house, though. It was huge, the biggest house in our small Altadena neighborhood.

Kevin Mackey never played football. Not to my knowledge at least. What an unfulfilling task it might have been had he played. Could the shoes have been bigger? Or the name more significant? It’s fascinating how sons of famous athletic fathers can be left without a chance to find their own place in the world. It seems like those who inherit the genes are burdened by the angst of managing those genes.

If Kellen Winslow Jr. has been left out of some things, it’s because he’s had an issue with his timing. Winslow was the last of the colorful Miami Hurricanes players. In 2003 and 2004, the Canes played in the B.C.S. championship game, beating Nebraska in the former then losing to Ohio State in a classic the following year.

In the midst of that Winslow called himself a “soldier.” It wasn’t just what he said, but his delivery. It was defiant, bristling with an anger that seemed misplaced. Such a remark might have received some play in the eighties, when the Hurricanes were at the height of their dominance. In those days it might have garnered Winslow the macho cowboy points so coveted in the Reagan era.

But Winslow uttered those words when the country was engaged in its second Gulf War, when world tension was building, creeping towards the feverish pitch it is today. This was also after the Hurricanes—as well as Luther Campbell, the program’s unofficial spiritual leader—had lost its place in pop culture lore. The Miami Hurricanes were a great football team, but just another program. And Winslow presented himself as just another misguided athlete who knew nothing of what he spoke.

That was really the first time we had seen him up close. The image was nothing like the one cast by his father. For a lot of us, those who hear the name Kellen Winslow will always remember that one scene from the 1982 playoff game between San Diego and Miami. By then Winslow had already reshaped the tight end position to fit his image. His 13 catches for 166 yards were certainly impressive that day. But when he blocked a kick to send the game into overtime, then staggered off the field, dehydrated, cramped and bloodied, propped up by two of his teammates, we had a genuine folk hero.

That’s a lot of legacy to pass on and a whole lot more to swallow. In 2004, after Winslow Jr. was drafted sixth overall by the Browns, he’d already established himself as the best tight end in the country. I’m not sure his hands were softer than his pop’s, but the young Winslow was certainly a more fluent athlete and more explosive off the mark.

I’m sure that’s one reason—in addition to his being a young person—that Winslow lived as though he was invincible. His well-publicized motorcycle crash was an unfortunate circumstance and it kept him out of the 2005 season. But it followed some statements and gestures—like calling himself the “Chosen One,” and having a team employee carry his pads and helmet from the practice field—that kept the young man out there on the periphery, the place where opportunities are missed.

After a couple of Pro Bowl years, he was traded to the Bucs. They were just a couple of years removed from the playoffs, but the franchise had already begun its cyclical decline. Now there’s a new coach, who by all appearances, seems to prefer players without any kind of history.

Then last January, there was an occurrence in the football community—one that surely caught the attention of all those who line up at tight end. During the playoffs, for a two week period, everything in the football world orbited around the tight end. Guys named Vernon Davis, Gronkowski, and Jimmy Williams didn’t just dominate the scene, they dominated the conversation as well. Against the Saints, Vernon Davis had 180 yards, breaking Kellen Winslow Sr.’s record for yardage in a single game.

When Winslow was traded to Seattle, he had his chance to become part of this year’s great tandem. In the giant Zach Miller, Winslow had a perfect partner in crime. And in the Seahawks, Winslow had a chance to join something new and fresh. Say what you will about Pere Carroll, but when it comes to energizing a base and creating exciting new movements in places that have gone stale, the man has the touch. With the dynamic Russell Wilson as its leader, the Seahawks could very well be this year’s most exciting team.
Word is Winslow was asked to give up some cash in order to stay. Winslow declined. Winslow believes his salary is commensurate with his status in the league.

Even if that is true, now may not be the best time to express it.


(nationalfootballpost.com)

RENTON, Wash. -- Kellen Winslow was acquired by the Seattle Seahawks in the hopes that along with Zach Miller the duo could become a formidable set of tight ends who could add another element to the Seahawks offense.

Those plans drastically changed on Saturday when Winslow was released by the team, keeping true to the Seahawks' past form of tinkering with their roster even after all training camp cuts are made.

A team spokesman confirmed Winslow's release shortly after it was first reported by ESPN.com. Winslow was scheduled to make $3.3 million in base salary in 2012, following his trade from Tampa Bay to Seattle in May.

Seattle moved quickly to fill Winslow's spot by agreeing to terms with former Cleveland tight end Evan Moore, who was released by the Browns on Friday. Moore caught 34 passes for 324 yards and four touchdowns a season ago for Cleveland. Cutting Winslow briefly left Seattle with just Miller and Anthony McCoy on the active roster, but there is likely to be more shuffling before the Seahawks start preparations for the regular season opener at Arizona on Sept. 9.

The Seahawks gave up a conditional draft pick to the Buccaneers to get Winslow, who said it became clear he didn't fit into the plans of new Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano. Even with knee problems in the past, he was expected to be a significant contributor to the Seahawks offense.

"I knew when Raheem (Morris) left and coach Schiano came in I was kind of skeptical how the fit was going to be, how the team was going to be run," Winslow said during training camp. "So it does motivate me. But I just want to be an elite tight end. My thing is catching the ball. I want to be the top guy at that."

Winslow didn't have much impact during preseason games, finishing with just three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown. His practice time was also closely monitored as Seattle tried to get Winslow to the regular season without putting additional stress on his knee.

The Seahawks believed that schematically they could create mismatches using Winslow and Miller lined up against slower linebackers or smaller safeties. Miller signed with the Seahawks before the 2011 season, but was stuck in mostly a blocking situation during his first season and never was much of a receiving threat.

"I've always had a blocking tight end and Zach is both," Winslow said during camp. "We'll be even more dangerous."


(espn.com)

Clinton Portis called it a career this past week finishing out with 9,923 yards and 75 touchdowns. He was the Redskins’ second all-time leading rusher with 6,824 yards, a mere 648 yards behind franchise leader John Riggins. Unfortunately No.26 missed out on his goal of eclipsing 10,000 rushing yards. He ended his career 77 yards shy of that mark.

The man who was known back in 2005 for the colorful costumes and prank characters signed a 1-day contract to retire as a Redskin. Portis is now looking forward to finding a passion for football again and maybe making his way into the radio business.

Clinton Portis joined 106.7 The Fan in D.C. with Holden and Danny to discuss becoming good friends with Sean Taylor, meeting Dan Snyder at an ESPY’s after party, the possibility of working for the Redskins/NFL, not working for the Washington Redskins just yet and meeting Robert Griffin III.

How did a bond between you and Sean Taylor became so close?
“I don’t know. That’s like saying how did you get to be friends with somebody? It just falls into place. You think about the times or you think about the moments and all of a sudden I still reflect to the day that the Redskins was really thinking about drafting Kellen Winslow Jr. over Sean Taylor. I told coach, ‘I think Kellen Winslow Jr. is a great player, but man if we don’t draft Sean Taylor we missing out.’ Coach was like, ‘You really think so?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah. Really. Sean Taylor is going to be special.’ He was and forever will be. There’s not a day that goes by where you don’t think of him and somebody always mentions him. It will always be fresh in everybody’s mind. Just to have that luxury and opportunity to know him and be around him and to say he was a friend.”

Tell us about the first time you met Dan Snyder?
“I think it was at ESPN afterparty, the ESPY’s afterparty. I had no clue who he was. One of his best friends, who I later find out to be Dr.Tony Roberts walked up and thought I was Michael Vick. He was disappointed when I told him I wasn’t. He kind of walked off. I think Mr.Snyder walked up behind him just to kind of smooth things out. He was like, ‘I know who you are.’ I was just again having a conversation with him. I didn’t know who he was, but I was just having conversation. It turned out to be him.”

What are you going to do now? Work for the Redskins? Work for the NFL?
“I have some things in the works, but being around the team or being on the radio…I think it would be fun. I think always having a passion for football. I’ve always been a fan. I got to find the love for the game again. I got to become a fan again with not playing and just to have that excitement for the game and to have the opportunity to talk about the game and get people the inside scoop to things that are going on. I think that would still be fun.”

So if you were working for the Redskins now you wouldn’t tell me?
“[Laughs] I’m not working for the Redskins man.”

Have you had a chance to be around Robert Griffin III? Do you know him?
“I talked to him on twitter a couple of times and yesterday was the first time I had the opportunity to meet him and chat with him, but it was in the midst of being right around the press conference. A good 10-15 minutes and I’ve always been a fan of his even when he was in school. I told him yesterday I remember telling my best friend like two years ago that man he [Robert Griffin III] needed to go the Redskins. He’s here now. I think he’s going to be great for the city. I think he’s going to bring a lot of spark and a lot of character and they are going to enjoy him.”


(sportsradiointerviews.com)

Seattle Seahawks TE Kellen Winslow was listed as the No. 2 tight end on the team's initial preseason depth chart behind incumbent TE Zach Miller.





(ewallstreeter.com)

I think this tells you more of what you need to know about New England's further offseason obsession with tight ends: The Patriots were interested in acquiring Kellen Winslow from Tampa Bay before the Bucs dealt him to Seattle. I'm told the relationship between Bucs coach Greg Schiano and Bill Belichick had something to do with the deal not getting made with the Patriots. Schiano knew Winslow wouldn't be Belichick's kind of player, and so the Bucs -- who would have been advantaged by sending Winslow to an AFC team instead of the NFC 'Hawks -- made a deal for a conditional seventh-round pick with Seattle.

I also hear New England might have been willing to offer a sixth-round pick for Winslow at one point. The Pats ended up signing Visanthe Shiancoe, another solid veteran. Belichick obviously is going to continue using the tight end tight to the formation, split out, set in the slot and lined up in the backfield.


(si.com)

Kellen Winslow believes "99 percent" of NFL players would retire rather than play with the pain in his surgically-repaired knee.

Winslow has always thought highly of himself, so it's no surprise that he believes he's more resilient than the rest of the league. Winslow's Dynasty value has long been in the tank due to the creaky knee. Battling Zach Miller for production in Seattle's run-heavy offense, his redraft value is hanging by a thread as well.


(rotoworld.com)

The Seattle Seahawks hoped to re-sign tight end John Carlson this offseason.

They had envisioned pairing Carlson with Zach Miller to create a dynamic combination at the position, expanding the possibilities for a coaching staff that had been looking for a player versatile enough to serve a range of roles, including H-back.

In retrospect, losing Carlson to the Minnesota Vikings might not have been such a bad thing for the Seahawks. The team rebounded by acquiring Kellen Winslow from Tampa Bay. Carlson, who missed the 2010 season with a shoulder injury suffered in camp, landed on the Vikings' injured list Tuesday. He's got a sprained MCL that will keep him off the field for several weeks, most likely.

There is no way to know whether Carlson would have been injured had he remained with Seattle, but a clear pattern is emerging for the player Mike Holmgren once thought would end the Seahawks' search for stability at the position. As Kevin Seifert notes, Carlson has suffered a serious concussion during a playoff game against Chicago, the shoulder injury in camp last year and now the knee injury -- all since January 2011.

Winslow has his own injury concerns. He's practicing every other day to protect a chronic knee problem. But he hasn't missed a game over the past three seasons. Winslow has played all 16 games in five of the past six seasons.

Carlson's latest injury might wind up being a temporary setback. For now, though, it feels like more than that.


(espn.com)

ESPN 710 Seattle said Kellen Winslow "will be" the Seahawks starting tight end and feels there is a "good chance" he leads the team in receptions.

Winslow is 29 and continues to struggle with a surgically-repaired right knee, so take the predictions with a big grain of salt. It's plausible Winslow could unseat Zach Miller as the team's top tight end, especially on passing downs, but the cards are significantly stacked against him leading the team in receptions. He's a back-end TE2 at best.


(rotoworld.com)

Kellen Winslow got a scheduled day off from Seahawks training camp on Tuesday, a measure he and the team are taking in order to manage a chronic knee injury the tight end has dealt with for most of his career.

Winslow hasn't missed a game in three seasons despite the knee issue. He averaged 72 catches and 792 yards from 2009-2011 with Tampa Bay. The Seahawks, as little production as they got from their tight ends last season, will certainly take anything close to that -- even if it means giving Winslow some special treatment.

"The key is to get to Sundays," he told "Bob and Groz" on Tuesday. "... My job is to make plays. And I won't let the city down, I won't let the Seahawks down, I won't let my players down."

In the video below, Bob Stelton and Dave Grosby discuss their impressions of Winslow and expectations for his production this season.




(mynorthwest.com)

Kellen Winslow is no fan of new Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano's no-nonsense approach to offseason workouts and practice.

He made that clear on a video recently posted on "The Real Robinson Report," a blog by Seattle Seahawks running back Michael Robinson (www.realrobreport.com). Winslow, who was traded to Seattle in May, seems to prefer having some fun during offseason workouts to Schiano's detail-oriented and disciplined style.

"Real s--t, real s--t, Schiano came over there (yelling) 'Toes on the line! toes on the line!' Blowin' the whistle," Winslow said. "You can't laugh, you can't joke around, so I decided not to go to OTAs. And they got my man 'Rah' up and out of there, and I was loyal to him. I would've taken a bullet for that dude, so I had to roll, man."

Winslow also said he thought the Bucs made a mistake when they fired Raheem Morris after Tampa Bay went 4-12 last season and lost its last 10 games. Robinson asked him what it was about Morris that was so cool.

"Man, the cool thing about Rah is, Rah could be right here talking with us right now, and he wasn't a company coach, he was a players' coach," Winslow said. "I mean, just everything about him, man. He was real. You could talk to him face to face, real man to man. They fired the wrong dude up there."

Winslow was traded to the Seahawks for a sixth- or seventh-round pick in the 2013 draft on May 21, after he missed Tampa Bay's first week of organized team activies, or OTAs.

Winslow was the Bucs' leading receiver in 2011 with 75 catches for 763 yards and two touchdowns, but rarely practiced because of chronic trouble with his surgically repaired knees.

Winslow skipped the first week of OTAs and said he was working out at home in California. He said he was planning to join the team the following Monday, but got a call from Schiano that Saturday telling him the team was working on a trade.

"He was kind of upset that I wasn't there working out with the team in the offseason and for the first week of OTAs," Winslow said during an interview with SiriusXM at the time. "That's kind of shocking, but that's what it is. You don't just get rid of one of your best players because of that."

An eight-year veteran, Winslow has 437 catches for 4,836 yards and 23 touchdowns in his career, including 258 catches for 2,377 yards and 12 scores in three seasons with the Bucs.

Winslow started his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns. The Bucs acquired him in a trade for a second- and a fifth-round draft pick in 2009 and signed him to a six-year, $36.1 million contract in April 2009 that was the biggest contract ever given to a tight end at the time.


(tbo.com)

New Seattle Seahawks tight end Kellen Winslow admitted that he chafed under the exacting style of rookie Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano, and that unhappiness over the departure of former Bucs coach Raheem Morris led Tampa Bay to trade him last month.

Winslow, who was traded to Seattle for a sixth- or seventh-round draft choice in 2013, was interviewed on teammate Michael Robinson's website (www.realrobreport.com) this week, and he opened up about Schiano for the first time.

"Schiano came over there and he (yelled), ‘Toes on the line! Toes on the line!’ Blowing the whistle. You can’t laugh. You can’t joke around. So, I decided not to go to OTAs," Winslow said, according to the Tampa Bay Times. "They got my man Rah (Raheem Morris) up out of there, and I was loyal to him. I would take a bullet for that dude. So, I had to roll, man."

The former Miami Hurricane and Cleveland Brown said he remained loyal to Morris, who was fired after last year's Bucs went 4-12.

"He wasn't a company coach; he was a players' coach. He was real; you could talk to him face-to-face, man-to-man. They fired the wrong dude up there."

“He could provide the offense with a huge lift,” one daily team observer said of the former first-round pick of the Browns (sixth overall in 2004) who has caught at least 66 passes in five of his last six seasons in Cleveland and Tampa Bay. “When the team signed (former Raiders TE Zach) Miller last year, the big talk was that (John) Carlson was on the way out, but that was never the case. They really looked forward to using both Miller and Carlson, but then Carlson went down (with a torn labrum). Winslow is both a better athlete and receiver than Carlson, and they’re planning on playing him all over the field.”

Despite the continued aftereffects of a serious knee injury suffered in 2005 while playing for the Browns, Winslow has been passing the eyeball test in his new surroundings, showing a consistent ability to get open. He also is showing genuine confidence, having no qualms suggesting that the combination of himself and Miller, who caught at least 60 passes in each of his last two seasons in Oakland before being forced into more of a blocking role in his first season in Seattle, has the potential to be as effective as the highly regarded Rob Gronkowski-Aaron Hernandez TE duo in New England.

“I think (Winslow) feels like he’s been given a breath of fresh air (in Seattle),” the observer said. “He lives in San Diego, and he seems to like it here. Another factor with him is that he just happened to have three monster games against the Seahawks (including a 7-98 receiving day with two TDs in his most recent game vs. Seattle in Week 16 of the 2010 season). When you consider all he cost was a seventh-round pick (that could be upgraded to a sixth-rounder), all you can say is, ‘wow!’ "


(nfl.com)

Moments after walking off the field at the conclusion of the Seahawks’ minicamp practice on Tuesday, Kellen Winslow was asked how his impact on the offense might increase once he’s healthy.

Winslow’s response was as exact as it was honest.

“If I was healthy, which I never will be again, I would be Aaron Hernandez and (Jason) Witten together,” he said.

“Really?” the questioner asked.

“Yeah,” Winslow said, punctuating the assessment with a laugh. “But, hey, I do what I can out there with the situation I have.”

The former Pro Bowl tight end the Seahawks acquired last month in a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers never will be 100 percent healthy because of the serious knee injury he got in 2005 while playing for the Cleveland Browns, and the staph infection that followed in 2008.

“It was the hardest thing that ever happened to me – the accident and then the staph infection on top of that,” he said.

The double-whammy situation has left Winslow with a right knee that continues to limit his practice time, if not his productivity – as he averaged 73 receptions the past three seasons for the Bucs.

“I wasn’t supposed to be playing, but I wasn’t going to let that go,” he said. “This is all I have. I want to be out here with the guys and do this as long as I can.”

You would never know that Winslow is “limited” while watching him work on the practice field, where his combination of smoothness and deceptiveness allows him to get open on pass routes.

“I think he’s going to be a great addition,” quarterback Tarvaris Jackson said. “He’s come out the first couple days and made some great catches. He’s always pretty much open. He finds a way to get open, so that’s going to be big for us on offense.”

Remember all the plans the Seahawks had for using Zach Miller and John Carlson in two-tight end sets last year, before Carlson was lost to a season-ending shoulder injury and then to the Minnesota Vikings in free agency? Those plans are back on; with Winslow stepping in to the role Carlson was expected to fill.

“You always need two guys (at that position) that you can get the ball to,” Jackson said. “Zach knows the system. He’s been in it. He found a way to get open. But Kellen will be a great addition to that. We can have a two-tight end set and have dual threats on the inside, taking a lot of pressure off the outside guys.”

Winslow is a student of the game because he grew up around the game. His father, also Kellen, was a Hall of Fame tight end for the San Diego Chargers. And this student as a PhD when it comes to tight-end play – as evidenced by his reference to Hernandez, who caught 79 passes for the New England Patriots last season; and Witten, who also had 79 catches for the Dallas Cowboys and is Winslow’s pick as the most-complete tight end in the league.

Asked to elaborate on the aspect of their games that he tries to emulate, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Winslow offered, “Aaron Hernandez, his shiftiness, his routes. He’s a little shorter guy; he’s about 6-1. So he’s real shifty, real great route runner. And Witten just does everything right. I think he’s the best all-round tight end in the NFL. He has no weakness.”

That only makes Winslow’s comparison even stronger. But then, he knows his ample game, and his physical limitations.

“I’ve been playing like this ever since I came back,” he said of 2009, the start of his three-season run as the Bucs’ leading receiver. “And I’ve been playing well. So I’m OK with it. It’s something I have to deal with everyday.

“But it humbled me, and it keeps me going. It happened for a reason. So I’m OK. I’m OK.”

The Seahawks are more than OK with adding a tight end with Winslow’s talents to their still-under-construction offense.

“He finds a way to get open,” Jackson said – a reoccurring theme of an assessment whenever anyone is asked to comment on Winslow. “He changes speed. He switches up on guys. He’s a smart guy.

“I’ve seen him do some things that a lot of guys probably wouldn’t do. He’s been in the league for a long time now, so he has a little more experience than some of the guys we have. So those guys can watch him and take some stuff that he does and to apply it to their game.”
Winslow also has been watching the other tight ends.

Winslow on Miller: “Obviously, Zach is a helluva player. All-around great tight end. Can block. Can do anything you ask him to.”

Winslow on Anthony McCoy and Cameron Morrah: “Cam’s very athletic. Can block. And then Anthony is just real explosive and has a lot of potential.”

Winslow on himself: “I’m coming in just being a piece of the puzzle, and I’ve come to make plays. That’s what I do.”

Bulky knee and all. “I do what I can out there with the situation I have,” he said. “This is my dream to play, so I’m going to keep playing as long as I can.”

And doing for a Seahawks team that can use anything – and everything – Winslow has.

“I feel at home here,” he said. “I really do.”


(seahawks.com)

After coach Greg Schiano and the Bucs decided to trade tight end Kellen Winslow to the Seahawks two weeks ago, Schiano declined to address his rationale for making the decision despite our best efforts to ask pointed questions on the subject.

But, as it turns out, Schiano did get around to talking about the subject, though in somewhat vague terms.

In talking to Chicago Tribune columnist Dan Pompei, for a story on nationalfootballpost.com, Schiano gave a sense of his thinking behind moving Winslow, suggesting that Winslow’s lack of consistent offseason attendance did, indeed, play a significant role.

“Some of it is voluntary,” Schiano said. “I can’t make them be here for every part. Would I have liked him here? Sure. We had 87 guys here. But that wasn’t the only reason we decided to do what we did. We just didn’t think it was the best fit for us. It was a bunch of things, an accumulation of things. Some of it is projecting, how will this project moving forward.”

Those comments came in the same conversation in which Schiano defined a “Buccaneer man” thusly: “Guys you can trust. Guys who believe in what we’re doing. Guys who are accountable to each other – things that are becoming more rare every day in our world.”

You have to wonder whether Schiano and the Bucs felt though Winslow could be accurately described as such. Something tells us the answer is no.


(tampabay.com)

Greg Schiano spoke to Dan Pompei of the National Football Post, who used the conversation as a basis for his NFP Sunday Blitz column this week. Any Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan should really read that column, as a lot of interesting things were said by Schiano. Mostly, Schiano talked about the culture he wanted to establish at One Buc Place. One of the consequences of that culture change appears to be that Kellen Winslow Jr. no longer fit the team. Here's what Schiano had to say:

Winslow was not a Buccaneer man, so he was traded to Seattle for a seventh round pick that could become a sixth rounder. Schiano explains. "I thought he complied well. The time he was here, he did everything I asked him. He did it the way we asked him to."

But Winslow was not working out with the team for much of the offseason. "Some of it his voluntary," Schiano said. "I can't make them be here for every part. Would I have liked him here? Sure. We had 87 guys here. But that wasn't the only reason we decided to do what we did. We just didn't think it was the best fit for us. It was a bunch of things, an accumulation of things. Some of it is projecting, how will this project moving forward."
While Schiano was not trying to make an example out of Winslow, he is trying to establish a culture. As a result, he isn't in a position to make exceptions for players like Winslow.

"The key I learned early is when you are establishing a culture you really have to make sure it's non-negotiable," he said. "After you have established the culture and built a program, then a program can accept one or two guys who maybe aren't seeing things the exact same way. Usually that strong culture either transforms that person or spits him out. We're nowhere near that. We're just establishing who we are, what we want to become."

The Bucs have made it clear that this culture is indeed non-negotiable. They said goodbye to two talented, key players this offseason in Tanard Jackson and Kellen Winslow Jr. Both players were let go in part because of their declining production, but also because the team did not appreciate the way they were working out. Winslow preferred to work out on his own, while Tanard Jackson was rehabbing, but not in the way the team wanted - supposedly.

Will there be more victims of this culture change? I would guess so, but some of those victims may not come immediately. The Bucs can't completely overhaul the team in one offseason, although they sure are trying. It's clear, though, that Schiano wants players that buy into his way of doing things, and those that don't need not apply.


(sbnation.com)

Pete Carroll says the Seattle Seahawks know what it takes to manage Kellen Winslow Jr. and his knee issues.

The Seahawks surprised some by trading for the veteran tight end and they’ll work him into the offense with Zach Miller, the tight end they added in free agency last year.

“Zach Miller had a really good year for us last year,” Carroll said in a visit on 710 ESPN, according to sportsradiointerviews.com. “He did a good job of blocking and making the plays we asked him to make. We were pretty conservative trying to grow with the young guys up front, but we will continue to expand. We wanted the two tight end group and the factor that it brings to have a catching tight end that can really strike you. A guy that can block and do all the stuff. Zack can do everything. This matchup gets us back on track on how we wanted to express our offense. We like when Michael Robinson is in the game too. Michael Robinson is a good football player. He’s a Pro Bowl guy at fullback, but when he’s out of the game and we go with the second tight end let’s get a guy like Kellen Winslow that can catch the football and make plays and really change the games and be a factor.

“I think this was a tremendous get for us and as we manage our way through bringing him into our team we see so many aspects of how he can help us and you can just picture the third down and end zone stuff that he can really be a star and we’ll fit that in together.”

Carroll said he understands the knee issues Winslow has and the key is keeping him in shape to perform on Sundays.

“Really doing a great job on how we monitor him,” he said. “I have great sympathy for this knee thing myself. I know what he is going through and there’s time where he just won’t be able to work, but the magic in here will be our ability to keep him up to speed with the quarterbacks, so we have good time and opportunities to sync the timing of the passing game. He’s smart. He gets it. He studies. He loves the game. He is a great competitive kid.

“He wants to practice everyday, so it won’t max out a lot of walk through time and we’ll just have to really be efficient with the reps we get to get him right with the quarterbacks. That’s really the big issue. He’ll learn his assignments. It will be the timing of the whole thing. That will take us awhile, but we plan on doing a great job of taking care of his body, so that he can play on Sundays.”


(nationalfootballpost.com)

RENTON — Looking for some instant offense, the Seattle Seahawks hope they added some explosiveness to the passing game with the addition of Kellen Winslow.

"He's a wide receiver in a tight end's body," Seattle head coach Pete Carroll said. "He's got all of that ability and route-running like I mentioned, but more than that he makes plays. As well as — the thing that I love about the guy the most — is that he's a great competitor. He just loves to play the game and we can't have enough of that around here."

Winslow talked to reporters for the first time on Thursday since Seattle traded a conditional, seventh-round pick to Tampa Bay for the University of Miami product's services.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound athlete looked smooth running routes and catching the ball during practice.

The Seahawks plan to pair Winslow with tight end Zach Miller, using them both in two-tight end situations to force defenses to choose between running more heavy fronts to stop bruising running back Marshawn Lynch, or use more defensive backs to deal with Winslow and Miller in the passing game.

Seattle used two tight-end formations nearly 40 percent of the time last season.

Winslow averaged 73 receptions and 792 yards for the past three years in Tampa Bay. Miller finished with a career-low 25 catches last season, but Winslow believes the two tight ends can create a dynamic similar to New England's two tight-end sets.

New England's Rob Gronkowski finished with 90 receptions for a tight-end record 1,327 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in 2011, while teammate tight end Aaron Hernandez totaled 79 receptions for 910 yards and seven touchdowns.

"Zach Miller is a proven veteran here," Winslow said. "Hopefully we'll be able to do something like the Patriots are doing, with Gronkowski and Hernandez. We kind of fit that mold, so I'm sure we'll be fine."

However, Winslow, who turns 29 on July 21, could be losing a step. He's had six knee surgeries since he's been in the league, including reconstructive knee surgery after he tore his ACL in the motorcycle crash in 2005 while with Cleveland, and microfracture knee surgery in 2007.
Winslow also had the most penalty yards of any Tampa Bay player last season, 76 total yards on seven accepted penalties, including three for offensive pass interference.

Winslow also finished in the top 25 in the league in drops with five.

Carroll said the team is aware of Winslow's knee issues, and the team will manage the situation.

"He's got some health issues that we're going to deal with to make sure we monitor them really well, so he can play his best," Carroll said. "We're absolutely tuned into it, and we know a lot about the history. We'll learn a lot more.

"But we think it's such a fantastic addition because he can make things happen. He can make plays. He should be a big factor on third down and in the red zone."

Winslow said he's developed an understanding of how to take care of his injury situation.

"I will have to manage my practice time but ever since the accident, I do have to live with what I have," Winslow said. "But I've been playing the last three years 16 games and the last five out of six years, I've been five years healthy. So I'll be okay. Just be smart with it and I'll be there on Sunday."


(kitsapsun.com)

RENTON — Two years ago, when John Schneider and Pete Carroll were beginning the task of rebuilding what Tim Ruskell had torn down, they couldn't have afforded a risk like Kellen Winslow.

The Seahawks needed to get younger. They weren't in a position to gamble on a tight end like Winslow, whose practice time is limited because of the wear and tear on his knees. They needed guys who were all-in, all day, every day.

Two years ago, their focus was broader. They didn't have room on the roster for specialists.

But it is a sign of the maturity of the 2012 Seahawks that they can go after specific needs. They can make a trade, as they did this week with Tampa Bay for a player like Winslow, whose skills perfectly fit the Seahawks' offense.

"This falls under the category of a team need," general manager Schneider said as the sun finally broke through the clouds Thursday. "He's a guy that brings that energy and passion that fits our group and our locker room right now.

"Kellen is so passionate about the game. He really is all ball. And those are the kind of guys you feel like it's worth bringing into your program. He's the type of guy who wants to be great."

This was a trade worth making. It is the kind of trade that a team that thinks it can win a division this season makes. Winslow, 6 feet 4, 240 pounds, is another necessary puzzle piece.

"He's a wide receiver in a tight end's body," coach Carroll said.

Winslow can be the field-stretching receiver the Seahawks needed but didn't get in the April draft. He can be a big-play guy. He can be dangerous in the red zone. With a salary this season of $3.3 million, he is cap friendly. And the Hawks surrendered only a conditional seventh-round choice.

"I'm a little surprised," Winslow, 28, said of the trade. "But whenever a new regime comes in it's a little tough because everybody has a clean slate. I just wasn't part of their (Bucs') vision and I'm here and I'm happy. It's good to have a job."

The Seahawks want to make their tight ends more a part of their passing game. Last year, because of injuries to the offensive line, they were forced to use tight end Zach Miller more as a blocker.

Now they envision a versatile Winslow, who can line up in many different places, teaming with Miller like the New England tight-end tandem of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

"We kind of fit that mold," Winslow said. "You want to create mismatches, so I'm kind of a knight in the chess game. You can move me around and control the middle of the field."

Winslow is coming off a 75-catch season for the Bucs, but new coach Greg Schiano installed a new offense that didn't fit Winslow. They signed former Colts tight end Dallas Clark.

"Kellen is a unique football player," Carroll said. "He's got special talents. He's got a tremendous record of consistency to his play. We added a guy we know can make things happen. We like guys with special dimensions, and he's got them. He's a real route runner and a great, great catcher. He loves to play the game, and we can't have enough of that around here."

Since his motorcycle accident, when he suffered a torn right ACL and lost the entire 2005 season, Winslow has had to be cautious with his knee.

Still, Winslow has played in all 16 games in five of his past six NFL seasons and has averaged 78 catches in those five seasons.

The team will closely monitor Winslow's practice time, but Carroll said the tight end needs to practice to gain familiarity with quarterbacks Matt Flynn, Russell Wilson and Tarvaris Jackson.

When Schneider worked in Green Bay, the Packers had a similar situation with Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Woodson.

"You have to, at some point, recognize where they are in their careers and be able to take care of them and get them ready for the games," Schneider said.

"So they're getting the mental reps and then they're also getting the reps that are specific to their skill set. We're going to sit down and come up with a great plan. It's not like he's not going to practice. It's how to handle it appropriately."

Winslow brings some baggage. Recently he and his wife were accused of doing $133,000 worth of damage to their apartment.

But Schneider, who is friendly with Bucs general manager Mark Dominik, talked frankly with Dominik about Winslow and said they were able to make the deal in a matter of days.

Winslow's history says it should work in Seattle.

Even he admitted that the trade felt like a breath of fresh air — literally.

"I can breathe out here," Winslow said. "My allergies were kicking up in Tampa."


(seattletimes.com)

Kellen Winslow II is making news in nearly every corner of the country this week.

The new Seattle Seahawks tight end is being sued for $133,000 after being accused of trashing a luxurious San Diego-area house he and his wife had rented for $9,000 per month.

"Every corner of the home was damaged," according to the claim, which was obtained by The San Diego Union-Tribune.

The house was adorned with Persian rugs that were allegedly "stained with dog urine and also littered with dog feces. ... The house was overpowered with a putrid stench of animal waste."

Winslow's camp is denying the story.

"It's a shakedown of a professional athlete," said his attorney, Brian Watkins, who also offered explanations for holes drilled in the walls (to hang TVs), unpaid utilities (an honest mix-up) and the dog waste (an accident that Watkins says was cleaned).

The Winslows lived in the home during the first six months of 2011.

"They want to portray it as though Kellen Winslow had a fraternity of football friends partying," Watkins said. "But the house was rented for his wife, who was pregnant. She was living there with her mother and a housekeeper. There was no partying going on. Kellen was rarely even there. "

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded Winslow to the Seahawks on Monday. Winslow suggested that new Bucs coach Greg Schiano was upset he wasn't training with his former team in Tampa this offseason.


(usatoday.com)

Let's cycle back to Monday's trade that sent Kellen Winslow to the Seattle Seahawks.

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shipped the tight end to the Pacific Northwest for a conditional pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the move came as no surprise. Bucs coach Greg Schiano made it crystal clear Winslow was no longer a fit on the team's rebuilt roster.

We have yet to learn how Winslow will be used in Pete Carroll's vertical-power offense, but one league personnel executive, who spoke with Adam Caplan of Sirius XM NFL Radio, painted a less-than-hopeful picture of the tight end's playing future:

"We talked to the Bucs before the draft and talked about (Winslow) further internally," the source said. "We just didn't think he could be more than a rotational player at this point (in his career) after examining his tape and performance."

During his best days with the Cleveland Browns, Winslow was an unusual pass-catching threat who caused regular headaches for defensive coordinators. Even in Cleveland's often punchless offense, Winslow could hurt you. He was productive in Tampa, catching 77, 66 and 75 passes in three seasons there from 2009 to 2011. Schiano ruled that Winslow was no longer a difference-maker, and at least one scout agrees.

This comes down to what Seattle plans to do with Winslow. With Zach Miller on the roster, Winslow isn't the only tight end with hands, but expecting the KW2 of old to emerge unhindered might be unrealistic.


(nfl.com)

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded tight end Kellen Winslow to the Seattle Seahawks for a draft pick on Monday night and signed former Colts star Dallas Clark to replace him.

Earlier in the day, Winslow told SiriusXM radio that first-year coach Greg Schiano was "kind of upset" that Winslow has not been working out with the team during the offseason.

"That's kind of shocking, but that's what it is," Winslow said, adding that Schiano told him the coach "would help me out with a trade."

Winslow has been one of Tampa Bay's best offensive players since being acquired from Cleveland in a trade three years ago. He had 77 receptions for 884 yards and five touchdowns in 2009, 66 catches for 730 yards and five TDs in 2010 and 75 receptions for 763 yards and two TDs in 2011.

Tampa Bay received a conditional 2013 draft pick in the deal, which a source told ESPN.com's Mike Sando is a seventh-rounder that can elevate to sixth-round choice.

Winslow will join a tight end unit that already includes Zach Miller, who Seattle gave a big contract last offseason, and promising young prospect Cameron Morrah, who has struggled with injuries early in his career. The Seahawks lost tight end John Carlson in the offseason after he signed with Minnesota.

Tampa Bay gets a player who was one of Peyton Manning's favorite targets.

Clark, who turns 33 next month, spent nine seasons with Indianapolis and had 427 career receptions for 4,887 yards and 46 touchdowns. Last season, without Manning and limited by injuries to 11 games, Clark had 34 catches for 352 yards and two touchdowns. He worked out for the Bucs last week.

"Dallas Clark is a consummate pro and proven playmaker," Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik said. "He will be another asset, on and off the field, for our team. In addition to Luke Stocker's continued improvement in his ability as an every-down tight end, we feel we have both talent and depth at the tight end position."

Winslow, despite a history of injuries and undergoing several knee surgeries during his career, appeared in every game over the past three seasons for Tampa Bay.

The 28-year-old was the sixth overall pick in the 2004 draft by the Browns, who sent him to Tampa Bay in exchange for second- and fifth-round draft choices. Winslow has 437 career receptions for 4,836 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Winslow said he has been working out near his home in San Diego and missed last week's initial set of organized team activities in Tampa. He said he was planning to join the team on Monday, but that he got a call from Schiano on Saturday.

"He was kind of upset that I wasn't there working out with the team in the offseason and for the first week of OTAs," Winslow said during the interview with SiriusXM.

"But I've been there the last three years and I've had a successful career so far," he added. "You don't just get rid of one of your best players because of that. ... I don't have nothing bad to say about coach Schiano. It was just a disagreement on why I'm not there yet."


(espn.com)

Kellen Winslow was at one of the lowest points of his life when he crashed his motorcycle in 2005. The incident made him a punching bag for sports pundits, but believe it or not, the crash might have spawned a second career for Winslow after football.

Faced with plenty of time on his hands during rehab, Winslow started tinkering with mixing music.

How does that old cliche go, when life gives you lemons, you mix it up on a turntable.

Winslow had long been musically gifted, taking piano lessons as a kid and playing the saxophone for a year. (He doesn’t practice the piano anymore, nor can he read music, but give him a half hour, he can certainly play by ear.) He even liked to make play lists as a kid, so become a DJ seemed like the next logical step.

That journey led to his first professional gig at the Breathe Pool Lounge at Beachlife at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Sunday. Despite the nervousness, Winslow said everything went off without much of a hitch. Winslow kicked off his set with “Amsterdam” by Luminary and just free styled the rest of the afternoon.

“It was great,” Winslow said. “It was everything I thought it would be. I messed up on one song, but I don’t think anybody noticed.”

Winslow doesn’t have any future gigs lined up, but he would like to DJ after his playing days are done and eventually move on to producer.

Winslow started with hip-hop when he first started spinning seven years ago, going with performers such as 50 Cent, Nas, DMX, Ludacris and Busta Rhymes. Now he specializes in trance, techno and house music. But Winslow admits that he likes all kind of music. He admits 90 percent of the stuff he listens to is house, techno and trance, but as for the other 10 percent he enjoys Foo Fighters, Blink 182, Daughtry and Creed.

Wait, Creed? Are you sure you want to admit that?

“Creed was awesome,” Winslow said.

Well, we’ll just have to take his word for it now. He is a professional.


(nfl.com)

Pro Bowl NFL tight end Kellen Winslow, Jr. of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be performing this weekend at one of Las Vegas’s hottest venues, Breathe Pool Lounge at Beachlife at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. During one of the city’s busiest weekends, Kellen will be entertaining partygoers all afternoon on Sunday, May 6th, from 3:00pm – 6:00pm.

Winslow looks forward to showcasing his serious off-the-field talent. “I’m really excited about DJing at the Hard Rock Hotel this Sunday. DJing has become a real passion of mine the past 7 years, so I’m really looking forward to a good time.”

Breathe Pool Lounge will be open from 11 a.m. until 3 a.m. this Sunday. Admission is $40 for ladies and $60 for men; local ladies get in free.


(yardbarker.com)

He didn’t win a lot of games, but former Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris easily was the best quote among the four NFC South coaches.

In the media business, it’s always helpful when a guy is a good quote. New Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano probably never will be as animated or open as Morris. But, early on, I’m sensing a lot of depth out of Schiano and that can be a good thing.

Take the case of Schiano being asked at the owners meetings last week why there aren’t a lot of great tight ends in college football and why the NFL seems to turn to former basketball players (see Jimmy Graham, Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates) to play tight end. Schiano provided some pretty strong insight into why so many potential tight ends opt to play basketball in their teen years.

In Tampa Bay, Schiano has Kellen Winslow as his top tight end. Winslow comes from a unique background. He’s the son of former NFL great Kellen Winslow Sr. and was schooled in football from an early age. At 6-4, Winslow has good size and his athleticism, at times, appears to match that of any of the former basketball players. There’s been some speculation the Bucs could look to trade Winslow, who will turn 29 in July, has chronic knee problems and is coming off a relatively quiet 2011 season. Some of the speculation also has pointed to the fact that new offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan is coming from the New York Giants, who didn’t throw to their tight ends a lot last season.

But I’m not so sure Winslow is on the trading block. Butch Davis, a special assistant to Schiano, recruited Winslow when he was head coach at the University of Miami. Davis also drafted Winslow when he was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Schiano and Davis have access to all the medical reports on Winslow’s knee. They may try to add some tight end depth in the draft. But I think they realize they have a tight end that has been a productive pass-catcher in the draft. Unless they’ve got their eye on some former basketball player and somehow plan to use their tight ends the same way New Orleans uses Graham, I expect they’ll stick with Winslow.


(espn.com)

There have been reports that the Buccaneers at least considered parting ways with TE Kellen Winslow this offseason. We heard the Bucs did take a look at what was available at tight end in free agency and were intrigued by Martellus Bennett, who ended up signing with the Giants. For now, we're told the Bucs don't think Luke Stocker, a fourth-round pick last year, is ready to be the No. 1 tight end, and Winslow may be their best option in the meantime.



(profootballweekly.com)

The big talk with Winslow is the team can release him and save $4.8 million without taking a salary-cap hit. The knock on Winslow is that he will enter his eighth season with a bad knee and his best days look to be behind him. The truth is that the entire offense sputtered in ’11, and despite that he ended with 75-763-2 receiving on 121 targets — an average of 4.7 catches for 47.69 yards and 0.13 TDs on 7.56 targets in 16 games. The team lacked a vertical threat and Josh Freeman elected to go to him as a check down. His 121 targets were second to Mike Williams' 124. He can still produce but has no fantasy value with his status in limbo. If he sticks with the Bucs he's a late round fantasy draft as a No. 1 in larger leagues but preferred as a No. 2.


(profootballweekly.com)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could consider releasing TE Kellen Winslow this offseason because they would save $5 million in salary cap space. Winslow has had knee problems in his career and only caught two touchdowns this season but did catch 75 passes for 763 yards. The Bucs would take a $0 cap hit if they released Winslow.

Winslow has already been paid the $20.1 million guaranteed in the six-year contract he signed in 2009, which did not include a signing bonus. Signing bonuses are typically prorated over the life of a contract. Coming off a 75/763/2 season, Winslow is set to make $3.3 million in 2012. It's quite possible that the Bucs will look into severing ties this offseason or next.


(rotoworld.com)

Buccaneers tight end Kellen Winslow isn't necessarily complaining about the team's decision to hire former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano.  After all, Schiano spent a couple of years as the defensive coordinator at the place where Winslow was once a f–king soldier.

But Winslow would have preferred another coach with connections to the "U" — Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.

In a Thursday interview with Adam Schein and Rich Gannon of Sirius NFL Radio, Winslow mentioned at least three times that he wanted Chudzinski.  "I was really hoping for Coach Chudzinski who I was with at Miami and Cleveland," Winslow said.  "But, you know, we got another guy in Greg Schiano who I know and heard he's one of the best coaches people have been around.  And he's got a lot of enthusiasm and [is] real energetic so I'm excited, man."

But Winslow wanted someone who could give the Tampa offense an enema.  "Just a guy that could come in and take over and get this offense going," Winslow said.  "And, you know, I mean, he's been top of the league past seasons, Chud I'm talking about.  You got Cam Newton going over there and their offense rolling over there and they're a much better team for it.  Just past connections and I know what offense he runs and love his offense obviously."

So what does Winslow think about Schiano?

"I'm happy with Greg Schiano," Winslow said.  "You know, I was just kinda hoping that it would be Chud.  But Greg Schiano is fine with me, man."

It sounds like one of Schiano's first challenges will be to find an offensive coordinator who makes Winslow forget about Chudzinski.


(profootballtalk.com)

Kellen Winslow finished the 2011 season with a team-high 75 receptions on 121 targets for 763 yards and two touchdowns.




(fantasysp.com)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE Kellen Winslow will not receive a $4.45 million bonus in his contract because he did not meet the criteria that activates the bonus. Winslow had to record at least 80 receptions in each season from 2009 through 2011 and needed to make the Pro Bowl each season. Winslow caught 77 passes in 2009, 66 passes in 2010 and currently has 58 receptions this season.



(kffl.com)

Tampa Bay tight end Kellen Winslow strongly defended beleaguered coach Raheem Morris on Wednesday.

Although the Bucs are on a seven-game losing streak and Morris appears to be on the hot seat, Winslow, courtesy of our friends at PewterReport.com, said that the coach still has the support of his team.

“If something were to happen to him we would be devastated and hearts would be broken,” Winslow said. “We play for him.’’

Winslow said the Buccaneers’ problems should be blamed on players, not Morris.

“It’s just not his fault at all,’’ Winslow said. “It is just us. Coaches coach and players play. We can’t have anything happen to him. We just can’t. It will just ruin the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.”



(espn.com)

Kellen Winslow caught four passes for 41 yards as the Bucs fell to the Panthers in Week 13.

He was targeted five times to finish second on the Bucs behind Mike Williams. Still on pace for just 759 receiving yards and three touchdowns this year, Winslow will remain a low-upside fantasy option against the Jaguars in Week 14.


(rotoworld.com)

Kellen Winslow hauled in nine passes for a season-high 132 yards against the Packers in Week 11.

Winslow roamed free against the Packers linebackers all game, drawing 11 targets for the second time in four weeks. He had one touchdown called back on a dubious pass interference penalty and flat dropped a two-point conversion. Winslow is on pace for 75 receptions and 762 yards heading into Week 12 at Tennessee.

Click here to order Calais Campbell’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

Buccaneers QB Josh Freeman's inconsistent performance and dropped passes by his receivers plagued the team's aerial attack in the first half of the season. The miscues have tested Freeman's confidence in some of his top targets. TE Kellen Winslow has been guilty of a few of the drops, and he and Freeman have engaged in some heated sideline conversations this season, but we hear Freeman trusts the eighth-year tight end as much as any teammate. Winslow led the team in receptions in each of the past two seasons and is tied with WR Mike Williams for the team lead this season with 31. Winslow's yardage and touchdown production is well off his usual pace, though. Sources say Winslow has been frustrated with the few drops he's made and the team's overall inconsistency this season, but he does not appear concerned about his numbers, or the fact that Williams, whose hands have been less reliable than Winslow's this season, has been targeted a team-high 63 times.

Click here to order Kellen Winlow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(profootballweekly.com)

Here's a rule to live by: Just because you hear something over and over, don't assume it's true.

In this case, I'm referring to the notion that there's something going on between Bucs tight end Kellen Winslow and quarterback Josh Freeman. I've explored this and found absolutely nothing.

So, let's put an end to this here and now: It's unequivocally false.

All this stems from an intense discussion between Winslow and Freeman during a win over the Saints two weeks ago. Winslow made reference to it after that game, saying things got "heated." But the Bucs won the game and no one seemed happier about that than Winslow, a guy who loves winning more than his numbers -- despite what anyone else suggests.

This idea has taken hold because at least half of Freeman's 10 interceptions have come in instances where he's forced throws to Winslow, who usually wasn't open. This has resulted in an incorrect assumption by many who believe Freeman has been trying to keep Winslow happy, at any cost.

But that's just not the case.

What's actually happening is this: Winslow is the first read on many plays in the Tampa Bay playbook, and Freeman clearly isn't going through his progressions and looking to other options as much as he should. Instead, he's forcing the ball to Winslow or, in some cases, Mike Williams.

Coach Raheem Morris explained this problem in detail on Wednesday.

"Last year, (Freeman) simply did a better job of going through his progressions," Morris said. "Right now, he probably is playing his number in fantasy football. He’s trying to throw touchdowns. Sometimes it’s okay to throw the checkdown. It’s okay to go through your progressions. Right now he has a little too much confidence in what he’s doing with his arm, and forcing some things in there."

So, no, Winslow hasn't gone Keyshawn, author of Just Give Me the Damn Ball! One thing I've learned from interacting with Winslow in the past two-plus years is that he's not who you think he is. He wants to win. He works hard, playing through constant knee pain. He’s a good teammate. And he adores Morris – and Freeman, for that matter.

Have we butted heads? Yes. Does he love the media? Not really.

Yes, the Bucs have some issues. But, as it relates to this subject, Winslow and Freeman are very much on the same team, working toward the same goals.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(tampabay.com)

Through seven weeks of the season, there are four NFC South representatives among the six most-targeted tight ends in the NFL. The top two spots are occupied by NFC South players.

New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham has been targeted a league-high 66 times, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He has 45 catches for 674 yards and five touchdowns.

Tampa Bay’s Kellen Winslow is No. 2 with 56 targets. He has 31 catches for 282 yards and a touchdown. Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez is No. 5 with 50 targets. Gonzalez has 35 catches for 380 yards and four touchdowns.

Carolina’s Greg Olsen is No. 6. He’s been targeted 45 times and has 26 catches for 286 yards and three touchdowns. Olsen’s numbers could be higher, but he shares time -- and targets -- with Jeremy Shockey.

Even though he’s not the primary tight end, Shockey still ranks No. 16 with 37 targets. He has 22 catches for 291 yards.

Click here to order Jimmy Graham’s proCane Rookie Card.


(espn.com)

Kellen Winslow did not have his best game of the season against the Chicago Bears, but he did do something his fantasy owners had been hoping for: He finally found the endzone. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end caught just four passes for 25 yards, but his four-quarter touchdown catch makes for a reasonably productive afternoon.

Winslow hadn't been that productive from a fantasy perspective this year, but that was not for a lack of trying: he entered Sunday's game with 27 catches in six games, including three straight games with at least five catches. The lack of touchdowns has hurt his value, but he's been a decent option in points-per-reception leagues. On paper, today's matchup with the Bears looked enticing, with Chicago entering the game with one of the worst passing defenses in the league. 

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(sbnation.com)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE Kellen Winslow (knee) said he is still dealing with issues with his injured knee but is doing whatever he can to produce for the team. "I'm on one leg out there, but it's all about helping your team out there. You can hurt later," Winslow said.


Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(kffl.com)

Kellen Winslow caught five passes for 40 yards in the Bucs' Week 6 win over the Saints.

Winslow has settled in as a possession receiver only, averaging under 10 yards per reception on the season and failing to score a touchdown through six games. He's just a low-upside TE2 heading into Week 7 against the Bears.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

Kellen Winslow caught five balls for 54 yards in the Bucs' blowout loss to the Niners in Week 5.
Among the least exciting TE-options going in fantasy leagues, Winslow gives just enough stability to be used as a low-end TE1 in PPR leagues. His upside is capped by a lack of playmaking ability, and Josh Freeman's struggles aren't helping matters, either.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

Back when Randy Shannon was attempting to talk basketball player Jimmy Graham into trying football, the former University of Miami football coach used a very powerful recruiting pitch.

“He said, 'We are Tight End U,'" Graham said. “He said, 'Look at the guys who’ve been through here -- Greg Olsen, Kellen Winslow and Jeremy Shockey. Look where they are now. They’re in the NFL. You can do the same thing.'"

Shannon’s out at Miami, but he turned out to be a prophet. Graham, now with the New Orleans Saints, is doing a lot of the same things Olsen and Shockey are doing for the Carolina Panthers and Winslow is doing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Throw in Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez, who didn’t go to Miami but has another common bond with Graham, and you can make a pretty strong case that the NFC South has the league’s best collection of pass-catching tight ends.

"None of those guys are guys you want to end up covering," said New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who played at Miami. "I had to do it in college and thought I was getting away from it and I did for a few years. But now I've got to deal with it in this division and I've got to deal with it every day in practice. It’s not a lot of fun."

It’s not mere coincidence that the NFC South, once a wasteland for tight ends, is suddenly filled with some of the best pass-catchers in the league. And it’s no coincidence that most of them came through the Miami pipeline.

When one team has success with something, other teams tend to follow. And when you’re looking for good tight ends, you look for the guys who come from the best factory.

The Saints started this trend back in 2008 when they traded for Shockey. The next offseason, the Falcons traded for Gonzalez and the Bucs traded for Winslow. In 2010, the Saints used a third-round pick on Graham, who played only one year of college football. He showed them so much potential that the Saints released Shockey after last season.

He didn't stay unemployed for long. Before the lockout started, the Panthers scooped up Shockey. They later made a trade with Chicago to get Olsen. There was some very strong logic behind both moves.

Ron Rivera had just taken over as Carolina’s coach and he brought Rob Chudzinski as his offensive coordinator. Yep, you guessed it. Chudzinski once was the tight ends coach at the University of Miami.

"We’re caught up in the same boat to a degree, but we’re young at a couple positions and we have enough playmakers at tight end that you have to account for both of them," Rivera said.

The Panthers, who pretty much ignored offense in the John Fox days, found their franchise quarterback in Cam Newton. And now they're using their tight ends as frequently as the other teams in the division.

Watch an NFC South game these days and you’ll think you're on the practice field in Coral Gables.

"As soon as I made the decision to play football, they started showing me tapes," Graham said. "I watched tapes of Olsen, Winslow and Shockey. I guess that was pretty much like reading a textbook on how to play tight end. Heck, even when I was getting ready for the draft and my combine workout and pro day, I watched a tape of Olsen's pro day over and over because everybody told me that was like the greatest workout ever for a tight end. It’s pretty amazing because I didn't have a lot of football experience, but I feel like those guys cleared the way for me. I learned a lot by watching tape of them and I think the reputation they created for Miami tight ends also helped me a lot."

But the commonality Graham has with Gonzalez might have played a role. Like Graham, Gonzalez played some college basketball. There are people who say Gonzalez could have played in the NBA, but he chose football. That turned out to be the right move because Gonzalez has been the most prolific pass-catching tight end in the history of the NFL.

It also didn't hurt that San Diego's Antonio Gates, another former basketball player, has probably been the closest thing to Gonzalez.

"I think when someone has success like Antonio Gates had and the league sees that, I think all of us pay attention to another area to scout than just the college football field," New Orleans coach Sean Payton said.

Payton’s having fun drawing up plays for the former basketball player. In Sunday’s victory at Jacksonville, Graham had the best game of his career -- 10 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown.

"He’s a guy that is going to give you headaches if he can stretch your team vertically," said Rivera, who will face Graham and the Saints on Sunday. "He has enough athletic ability and route-running ability and good hands to cause you problems underneath. And if you’re not careful and you try to match him up with the wrong guy, he could take advantage of that."

But it’s not just Graham that Rivera and the other NFC South coaches have to worry about. Every time an NFC South team takes the field these days, you have to worry about the tight ends.

They’re a huge part of every passing game. Graham is second in the league with 36 targets. At 35, Gonzalez hasn’t slowed a bit. He has 21 catches for 229 yards and is tied for second among the league’s tight ends with four touchdown catches. Winslow and Olsen each have been targeted 27 times, which ties them for seventh in the league among tight ends, and each have 17 catches. Shockey’s been targeted 19 times and has 11 catches.

"All those guys are like wide receivers playing tight end and they can block too," Vilma said. "As a defense, you have to account for them on every play. It's not really supposed to be like that. But, in our division, that’s the reality now."


(espn.com)

Kellen Winslow was held to just 20 yards on two receptions against the Falcons in Week 3.

One of Josh Freeman's throws went right through Dezmon Briscoe's hands and into the waiting arms of Winslow. He was targeted just one other time while being outproduced by rookie Luke Stocker (2 catches, 33 yards). Winslow has averaged just 32 yards the past two weeks after 66 yards in the opener.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris confirmed Monday that he had contact with two of his players during the NFL lockout, but he wouldn't say if he expected the league to hand out any kind of punishment for it.

Speaking to reporters one day after the Bucs' season-opening 27-20 loss to the Detroit Lions, Morris said he called tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. and cornerback Aqib Talib. Morris explained that he called Winslow with congratulations on the birth of a child and that he phoned Talib after the cornerback went to jail in connection to a shooting in Texas.

Contact between players and coaches was impermissible during the 4½-month lockout, which ended in late July.

CBS reported Sunday that Tampa Bay would be fined for the improper contact, but NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora cited a team source in reporting that the team hadn't been contacted by the league about any discipline. La Canfora also reported that the NFL is investigating seven instances of contact between Bucs players and coaches.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(nfl.com)

TE Kellen Winslow, making his preseason debut, left early in the second quarter with an ankle injury. He likely would have returned if it had been a regular-season game.

"No big deal," Winslow said.

Winslow made a third-down catch for 6 yards near the right sideline then limped off the field.

The Bucs held Winslow out of the first two games as a precaution, wanting to make sure his chronically sore right knee made it to Week 1 of the regular season.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(tampabay.com)

TAMPA — Tight end Kellen Winslow is used to being held. But in the preseason, the guy who locks onto his jersey the tightest is Bucs coach Raheem Morris.

That's because Morris knows Winslow is going to post elite numbers as long as they get him and his chronically sore knee to the starting line of the regular season.

But even as hard as Winslow practices, he still needs some major minutes in a preseason game, and will finally get them Saturday against the Miami Dolphins.

"I'm a rep guy. I need game reps," Winslow said. "My situation is what it is, but I still have been practicing doing the things I need to get ready for the game. But nothing is like the game speed. You have to be hit, so I just need game speed and I'm ready."

By all accounts, Winslow has had one of the best training camps of his career, perhaps aided by the fact that for the first time since 2008 he didn't have at least an arthroscopic procedure done on his right knee in the offseason. But in order to play, he still has to have a lot of treatment, including a daily regimen of electro stimulation therapy.

"Surgery has nothing to do with my situation," Winslow said. "It's from the (motorcycle) accident and it will never change. But I'm able to do what I do because of all this stuff you see around here. It's a daily thing, even in the offseason, I have to do this stuff every day. It's just what I have to go through. It's what I do, it's my job."

Winslow's routine includes wearing full pads to the final practice of the week, even while his teammates are in only helmets, t-shirts and shorts.

"The first I guess he shocked everybody when he came out in full gear," Morris said. "But he likes to run around in his pads. ... We accept him for it and it is fun to watch him do that.

"He's a tempo setter and he certainly will set tempo this week."

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(tampabay.com)

TAMPA, Fla. — TE Kellen Winslow will make his preseason debut in the Buccaneers game against the Dolphins on Saturday.

Winslow has had an outstanding camp and his knees are in excellent shape following a rare surgery-free offseason, but the team is still being cautious with him.

There was some talk in the offseason of possibly limiting Winslow’s play this season, but it looks like he’ll be an every-down player once again.
One thing that could free Winslow up to do even more this year is the presence of rookie TE Luke Stocker.

Stocker is proving to be a good blocker and his ability to get off the line and catch the ball will give the team another weapon that may create more opportunities for Winslow.

Another regular who will get his first game action this week against Miami is DT Brian Price.

Price’s status for the regular season is still uncertain, but the team is anxious to get a look at him and determine just what he’s capable of doing.

The Bucs don’t have big plans for Price this year. Their initial hope is that he can play 20 plays a game or so as a pass-rush specialist, spelling starting NT Roy Miller.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(sportingnews.com)

Tight end Kellen Winslow is having one of the better training camps of his career. It’s no coincidence that it’s coming in the wake of one of the few offseasons in which Winslow did not have surgery on his knees.

Winslow has shown very good speed, hands and, best of all, mobility. He’s not skipping any workouts right now either, but that will certainly change once the regular season begins.

The Bucs know Winslow needs to be ready for Sundays, so he’ll get a day off once a week when the season gets under way. For now, though, there’s little reason to believe he won’t be quarterback Josh Freeman’s top target once again this year.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(sportingnews.com)

At some point this preseason, I’ll project a breakout player in the NFC South. This guy doesn’t qualify because he’s already a big name, but I’m expecting a huge season.

The guy I’m talking about is Tampa Bay tight end Kellen Winslow.

As Joe Henderson points out, this is a rare August for Winslow. For the first time in a long time, he’s not recovering from knee surgery. Winslow reportedly has had seven knee surgeries and the Buccaneers were very cautious with his practice time last season. He played on Sundays, but frequently didn’t practice on Wednesdays or Thursdays.

When I talked to Winslow at a players-only workout at the University of South Florida back in May, he said his knee was feeling better than it has in years. He also was in a vibrant mood and talked glowingly about the rapport he’s building with quarterback Josh Freeman. Winslow, who usually spends much of his offseason in San Diego, spent a lot of time in Tampa, working out with Freeman this year.

Winslow often was portrayed as a malcontent during his time in Cleveland. In Tampa Bay, he’s stayed quiet, often avoiding the locker room during the period it’s open to the media.

But Winslow was talking -- very pleasantly -- back in May. Since camp has opened, he’s talked to the media several times. It seems like the lack of knee pain has lifted his spirits.

I think it also will lift his play to a new level this season.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(espn.com)

Kellen Winslow is still Kellen Winslow, except maybe better. An off-season’s rest has “K2” souped up like a high-performance sports car. Count on him and Mike Williams to be Josh Freeman’s go-to-guys again this year. Both looked game-ready.


Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(nfl.com)

Winslow shined on Saturday, making some dynamic and acrobatic catches during the afternoon session.

Yet, despite applause and drawing raves from the crowd on hand, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Winslow wasn't impressed with his performance.

"It was a bad day," Winslow said. "I felt a little gassed today. You know I may look good out here, but I know where I am supposed to be. We've got landmarks here. It was good, but not great. You know what I mean? But you strive to be perfect.

"I just tried to do too much. Sometimes I try to do too much and I do not need to. Like I am saying … we do not have pads on. It looks good out here, but I did not do good today."

Despite a very good practice, even though it wasn't up to his standards, Winslow, who was the Bucs' leading receiver with 66 catches for 730 yards and five touchdowns in 2010, said that the sweltering heat beat him down in the afternoon.

"You know, I was struggling today," Winslow said. "It feels like 110 out here – 120. I was struggling today, I need to … I probably lost 10 lbs today you know. So I am struggling right now.”

If Winslow was indeed struggling on Saturday, the Bucs would love it if he struggled like that every Sunday for 16 weeks.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(pewterreport.com)

The Buccaneers pay tight end Kellen Winslow to play tight end.  He’s taking on some extra duties.

Assistant to the General Manager.

“I do want to speak upon that it is important to bring back [guard] Davin [Joseph], and I don’t know what is going on with the [linebacker] Barrett Ruud situation, but it would be very disappointing to see him leave,” Winslow told reporters, via PewterReport.com.  “He is one of the key leaders on this team and I know the guys in our locker room want him back.”

Winslow will get at least half of what he wants.  Per PewterReport.com, the Bucs could be working out a deal with Joseph soon.  Joseph reportedly had dinner with G.M. Mark Dominik, coach Raheem Morris, offensive coordinator Greg Olson, offensive line coach Pat Morris, quarterback Josh Freeman, and right tackle Jeremy Trueblood.  Joseph did not receive an offer Wednesday night.

As to Ruud, it’s currently expected that he won’t be back.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(profootballtalk.com)

Kellen Winslow passed up a seventh surgery to clean out scar tissue and loose bodies in his knee this offseason.

The surgery would have been of the elective variety, so it's not a major concern. "Surgery is not going to help me anymore," Winslow said. "It's just maintenance from now on and keeping my knee strong. That's the reason for no surgery this past year. It just doesn't matter anymore." Onlookers have noticed a fresher Winslow in spring practices this year.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

While appearing on NFL Network's Total Access show yesterday, Kellen Winslow praised Josh Freeman to high heavens.  "The sky's the limit for [Josh Freeman]. He can be top 5, up there with the Philip Rivers, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, he can be. And he wants to be." said the veteran tight end. "He has all the tools."

When asked what the next step would be for Josh Freeman, he suggested the no-huddle offense. "I think the no-huddle system is next for him. Calling plays at the line, not huddling up so much, just getting into more of a rhythm, pass attempts". Winslow mostly praised the restrictions placed on the defense by the no-huddle offense, as the defense will have to stick to more vanilla coverages. 

And really, that would make a lot of sense for the Bucs. The Bucs ran something resembling a no-huddle offense in two-minute situations last season, but any time the clock stopped on incompletions, runners out of bounds or timeouts, the Bucs would take their time and huddle up. But when one of the elite quarterbacks runs that offense, you see them keep the tempo up without a huddle, forcing the defense to stay on the field. 

For Freeman to take the next step, he has to take full control of his offense, and running a no-huddle offense while calling his own plays will be very beneficial. 

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(bucsnation.com)

TAMPA -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Kellen Winslow was missing one thing as he caught passes from quarterback Josh Freeman this week.

Winslow ran several patterns with precision and ease. He visualized defenders and fought them off before hauling in one catch after another. There was nothing Winslow could not do during a practice organized by Freeman to keep players sharp during the NFL lockout.

For the first time in years, Winslow was without pain in his right knee.  

"I feel good," Winslow said. "Last year, I was hurting for whatever reason. I know how to rehab my knee better. I feel good now. I feel as ready as I can be right now."

Winslow's knee feels so good, he did not have it scoped this offseason. The last time he went without that traditional offseason procedure, he thinks, was in 2008.

One reason for Winslow's newfound health is his learning to use a knee simulation machine more effectively.

"I was using it the wrong way, so it was affecting my knee in a certain way," Winslow said. "That was what was going on last year when I was hurting and why I wasn't practicing in training camp.

"I was hurting, but I've learned how to basically use the machine better, so my knee feels better."

Winslow had 66 receptions for 730 yards and five touchdowns last season despite knee problems. Freeman looks forward to seeing what his tight end can accomplish while being pain free.

"He's a good team guy," Freeman said. "He's a great guy to have on your team. We're training and getting together a lot. It's great to see him."
Winslow could have trained in San Diego, where he resides, to prepare for the upcoming season, but committed to working out with Freeman this offseason.

In the future, Winslow plans to work out at the University of Miami with several alumni, including Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis), Andre Johnson (Houston) and Jeremy Shockey (Carolina). Winslow is trying to convince Freeman to take the trip with him because he loves the close relationship they are developing.

"I'm in the perfect place," Winslow said.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.


(tbo.com)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE Kellen Winslow has been working out with his teammates and said his knee is feeling good. "The knee is feeling really good," Winslow said. "I just love the game so much. This is all I've ever wanted to do. I was born and bred for this. It's all I want to do. I just want to get back to playing football."

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.



(kffl.com)

Comments

Welcome to our 1st annual and long overdue proCane Rankings where we look back at the 2010 NFL season and rank the 43 proCanes that took snaps in 2010 (except for Sinorice Moss who was placed on IR before the start of the season).

Stay tuned as we countdown from number 43 to number 1. Our rankings are based on each player’s performance last year. In August we’ll go ahead and re-rank the player’s based on our 2011 expectations. For now read our review of each player’s 2010 season and where they rank overall. Enjoy!

To read our rankings of players 43-35, click here.

To read our rankings of players 34-26, click here.

To read our rankings of players 25-16, click here.

15. Jon Vilma MLB New Orleans Saints: Vilma was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl after a solid 2010 season where he posted over 100 tackles for the third consecutive season and a career high four sacks. Though Vilma did post the fewest tackles of his seven-year career (105), besides his 2007 season where he only played in seven games, the Saints’ defense was riddled with injuries in 2010, and Vilma did not miss a game and anchored the defense. Look for Vilma to continue to be the quarterback of the Saints defense in 2011 and as that defense gets healthier and gains more experience, Vilma will continue to flourish.

14. Greg Olsen TE Chicago Bears: Coming into the 2010 season there were fears that Olsen would not be utilized in Mike Martz’s wide open offense and the Bears actually almost traded Olsen before the start of the 2010 season despite public comments by Head Coach Lovie Smith and Martz that Olsen would be used in the spread offense. Olsen statistically didn’t have a bad season as he posted 41 receptions for 404 yards, the lowest since his rookie season, but more concerning was the fact that in seven games Olsen had either only reception (5 games) or no receptions (2 games). Olsen had his best game of the season in the first round of the playoffs versus the Seahawks where he posted 113 yards receiving, 58 of those coming on one play, but it showed that he could be a threat in that offense if correctly utilized. With one season under his belt it will be interesting to see if Martz can figure out a way to incorporate or Olsen, though the trade rumors continue to persist.

13. Javarris James RB Indianpolis Colts: James was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts right after last year’s draft and by the time Week 5 rolled around he was signed to the Colts’ active roster. James had previously been on the Patriots and Redskins practice squads. Though James did not put up huge numbers, 112 yards rushing on 42 carries, the fact that he made the active roster of the Colts and scored six TDs last season, more than any other proCane runningback, merits him being ranked as a top 15 proCane performer for 2010. James will have an uphill battle to earn a roster spot on the Colts next season as he was inactive for the last two games of the regular season and playoff game, but he very well may be signed by another team due to his tough redzone running.

12. Jon Beason LB Carolina Panthers: Beason had started at MLB for the Panthers the last 3 seasons and coming into 2010 put the team first and agreed to start at the RLB spot. Beason who has yet to miss a game in his four-year career took some time to get acclimated to his new position and was not having as large of an impact defensively for the Panthers. In Week 10, Beason moved back to the middle and 2 weeks later made his presence felt with an interception versus the Cleveland Browns. Beason is too good to not be the starting MLB and it seems like the Panthers have realized that, and he should resume his duties in the middle of the defense in 2011.

11. Kellen Winslow TE Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Winslow finished the 2010 by playing all 16 games for the second consecutive season and though his numbers weren’t as good as his 2009 numbers, his first season in Tampa, Winslow was still a threat down the middle of the field for the Bucs. Winslow had a career high 5 TDs to go along with his 730 yards receiving and as the season progressed became a more consistent option for Tampa QB Josh Freeman culminating in a 7 reception for 98 yards and 2 TDs performance in Week 15. Winslow has already said he expects big numbers in 2011, and though at times he was not able to practice due to injury, he didn’t miss a game and played with his usual fire all season long.

10. Antonio Dixon DL Philadelphia Eagles: Dixon was a surprise contributor to the Eagles’ defensive line in 2009 as an undrafted rookie free agent signing. He suited up for 16 games and became a vital cog in the Eagles’ defensive line versus the run that year. In 2010, due to injury Dixon received extensive playing time in Week 5 versus the 49ers where he recorded his first sack of the season and ended up starting the rest of the way for Eagles totaling 30 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 pass deflections. Dixon has been a very pleasant surprise for the Eagles and a great personal story as well, overcoming learning disabilities and controlling his weight. Look for Dixon to start for the Eagles next season and continue to excel versus the run and improve his game on passing downs.

9. DJ Williams LB Denver Broncos: Playing in the 3-4 for his second consecutive season DJ Williams looked even more comfortable totaling 119 tackles. Williams also became much more involved in the passing game as he had a career high 9 pass deflections and more impressively 5.5 sacks. The Broncos began to blitz Williams more in passing situations and as a result he led the Broncos in sacks last season as well as tackles by a wide margin. The only knock on Williams is his off the field problems where he was accused of a DUI for the second time in his career and lost his captaincy as a result as well as his driver’s license for a year. Rumors have circulated that Williams is on the trading block but if he isn’t traded he will have to get used to playing in the 4-3 defense at the weak-side linebacker spot as the Broncos are changing their defense, again.


Check back tomorrow to see which proCanes were ranked 8th through 1st!

While he waits for the owners and the players' professinal trade association to settle their dispute, Buccaneers TE Kellen Winslow told PFW he prepared financially for the lockout and is working to stay in shape.

Coming off two relatively healthy and productive seasons, Winslow, who is heading into his third season with the Bucs since being traded from the Browns, said this is the happiest he's been in his professional career.

"I mean, I had a great time in Cleveland," he said. "Had a great time with my teammates. We didn't win too much, but had some good relationships in Cleveland. Just overall happy — I'd have to say yeah. Everything is in the right position. Warm weather, great coach, no drama."

Following a surprising 10-win season, the bar is being raised for the Bucs this offseason. They didn't make the playoffs in 2010, but have plenty of young talent and will be expected to contend for a spot again in '11. Winslow said he's surprised by how quickly the fortunes have changed for the team, which went 3-13 in '09.

When he was dealt to Tampa Bay heading into the '09 season, it looked like Winslow was going to be part of a long-term rebuilding project and that wins could be in short supply.

"I knew we had the right guy leading us (at head coach), but I just knew we were really young," Winslow said. "For us to do what we're doing — it's pretty amazing with how young we are. (My teammates) made me a believer. I didn't know at first. I didn't know how good we could be."

The 27-year-old has undergone several surgeries on his right knee since he was involved in a motorcycle accident in '05 and his practice time in training camp and during the season has been limited by head coach Raheem Morris to give him time to rest and recover.

Winslow said his offseason workout regimen has also changed over the years, and that it currently consists of running, cycling and playing basketball.

"I've gotten a lot smarter," he said. "I just used to do anything I could because I wanted everything right now. I would already be running routes right now and be lifting a lot of weights."

Winslow, who is heading into his eighth season, has led Tampa Bay in receptions in each of the past two seasons, making 77 catches in '09 and 66 in '10.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.



(profootballweekly.com)

Buccaneers tight end Kellen Winslow has high hopes for the 2011 season. Very high.

“I think we can double our numbers next year just [because] things were not clicking [early in the season],” Winslow said, referring to his receiving statistics, according to PewterReport.com. “I think we can double our numbers next year. I really do.”

It’s nice that Winslow is feeling good, but I’m going to go ahead and say the chances of him doubling his numbers are approximately zero. Doubling his 2010 numbers of 66 catches for 730 yards and five touchdowns would mean 132 catches for 1,460 yards and 10 touchdowns. That would be the best receiving season by a tight end in NFL history, and it would mean topping his career highs by 43 catches, 354 yards and five touchdowns. He’s not doing that.

But Winslow is right to be optimistic. The Bucs are a team with a bright future, a young team that just missed the playoffs in 2010 and have a good chance of getting there in 2011.

“We’re already hungry,” Winslow said. “We feel like we were just reaching our potential. It’s going to be real fun, so I definitely think [the fans] will [embrace the Bucs]. It’s definitely going to be a sight to see.”

Even if we won’t actually see a doubling of the 2010 numbers.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.



(profootballtalk.com)

Kellen Winslow caught all three of his targets for 28 yards in a Week 17 victory over New Orleans.

Winslow's numbers are a bit down from his first year in Tampa Bay in 2009, but his decreased production can be attributed to the emergence of WR Mike Williams as well as QB Josh Freeman's increased comfort with throwing the ball downfield. The former Brown and Hurricane finished the 2010 season injury-free, and remains a low-end TE1 in fantasy leagues headed into 2011.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.



(rotoworld.com)