Winslow's growing up

BEREA Sometime this year, cool-talking, hot-blooded Kellen Winslow Jr. will say something that turns heads.

Or will he?

Winslow's outrageous "I'm a soldier" rant came down more than five years ago.

His infamous trip to Canton for a StarBoyz demonstration and subsequent motorcycle crash is three years in the rearview.

He has racked back-to-back years of 875 and 1,106 yards, is coming off a Pro Bowl and is acting like model-employee, establishment material.

"Coming out of college, I was probably viewed in a different light," Winslow said between training camp practices Thursday. "But I'm growing up. I'm 25 now. That stuff was a long time ago."

"Just like everybody else ... you have to grow up. I'm older and married now. I'm just ... grown up."

Even if he did turn 25 Monday, though, it'll be 25 years before he can get an AARP card. He's still young, ornery and outrageous, as in outrageously good.

Part of him still wants to say no other tight end can hang with him, although the grown-up part resists.

After he looked sleek and dangerous in practice, someone asked whether he sees the Sept. 7 opener in light of proving he's better than Cowboys Pro Bowler Jason Witten. After all, it was mentioned, Witten is the premier tight end in the NFC. Winslow is ranked third in the AFC by The Sporting News, behind Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez.

"You're trying to get me, man," Winslow said.

Giving the writer a friendly chuck on the arm, Winslow added, "I'm just trying to be the best player I can be. I'm giving you the politically correct answer on that one."

All grown up.

Winslow's contract issue, which factored into his staying away from voluntary spring practice, seems to be a non-issue as camp breaks a sweat.

"I just want to be a Cleveland Brown for a longer period of time," said Winslow, who is signed through 2010. "My agent (Drew Rosenhaus) and the organization are in talks. My job is to be out here playing football.

"If they do it, they do it. If they don't, they don't."

Coming off an 82-catch, Pro Bowl year in which he played all 16 games despite injury issues, did he consider holding out?

"I'm not that type of guy," Winslow said. "I don't want to be a distraction. My job's just to come out here and help this team win."

Winslow's 1,981 yards in back-to-back years is a club record. Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome's best tandem years were 1983 and 1984, when he delivered 1,971 yards.

Predictably, Winslow wants the moon.

"I left a lot on the field last year," he said. "I watched the film and saw things I could have done better.

"I probably could have caught 100 balls. That's 18 more than I caught. Touchdowns ... I only had five. I can get a lot better in each category."

The Browns offense is hard to predict, since it has had just one breakout year.

"Charlie (Frye) was our quarterback last year," Winslow said. "It hasn't happened ever in history, but he was gone after one game. He was a good friend of mine.

"It's a cut-throat league. It's tough."

Not that Winslow isn't fired up about an offense coordinated by Rob Chudzinski, who was with him in his Miami (Fla.) days.

"Chud lives here at the facility," Winslow said in a reverent tone. "I don't know how he stays married.

"He's here all day, and he's the hardest-working coach I've ever seen. He's our captain, with Romeo. He's off the boards, man."

Meanwhile, the formerly troubled No. 6 overall pick of the 2004 draft now has two solid years on the NFL board.

He says his latest knee surgery was "just a minor scope." He's running free in practice, no longer a wild card as much as a reason for the other guys to worry.

(cantonrep.com)