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The Cleveland Browns now have two perennial Pro Bowl players who are looking for a new contract. Those two players are receiver Braylon Edwards and tight end Kellen Winslow. With the Browns signing Shaun Rogers to a big contract extension, this will definitely light the fire under these two players to speak even louder. In this article we will highlight Kellen Winslow and his desire to get a new contract and if he even deserves one.

Without a doubt, no one can deny the pure athletic ability that Winslow has and he definitely will have a bright future in the NFL.  However in May of 2005, Winslow who read the rules of the contract (we hope) before he signed it, showed how young he truly is when he got into a motorcycle accident that tore his ACL and brought an end to his 2005 season. Winslow who signed a six-year, $40 million dollar contract in 2004, was in jeopardy of losing a huge majority of that due to breaching a hazardous activities clause in his contract.

To be honest, the Cleveland Browns had every single right to take back the $6 million dollar signing bonus and the $4.4 million dollar option bonus that he was paid in March of 2005 just two months prior to the accident.  This would be Winslow’s second season that he would miss, with Winslow breaking his leg in game 2 of the 2004 season.

With only two games, 5 receptions and 50 yards the Browns pulled a really classy move and remained very loyal to there player and didn’t ask for a single dime back.  The Browns could have used that $10 million dollars to sign a good free agent or even resign a great player to a long term deal but they instead decided to let it be and was very patient with Winslow during his rehabilitation.

In the opening game of the 2006 NFL season against the New Orleans Saints, Winslow recorded his first NFL touchdown, scoring on an 18-yard pass from quarterback Charlie Frye. Winslow emerged as a reliable target for Cleveland, finishing the year with 89 receptions, the most at his position on the season, which also tied Ozzie Newsome’s all-time franchise record for receptions in a season.

Winslow, coming off a successful 2006 campaign, played in all 16 games with 82 receptions for 1.106 yards and recording 5 touchdowns in 2007. This was also the first Pro Bowl year for Winslow who played great alongside receiver Braylon Edwards and is showing great signs of the future. Despite being injured on a motorcycle in 2005, Winslow publicly admitted during his Pro Bowl week that he went surfing. Maybe I am wrong but do we consider surfing a dangerous sport? What if Winslow fell off his board and injured himself? With what happened in 2005 do you think it was a smart move to be in any physical activities off the football field?

Winslow coming off two great seasons publicly asked for a new contract in February. Winslow stated “My value on the field, they put in a nickel, an extra DB in the game,” he said. “They have to guard me kind of like a wide receiver so, you know, gotta get that new money.” Winslow signed a long-term, incentive based deal in 2005. With the fact that Winslow still has three years on his contract and that the Browns withheld there right to collect $10 million dollars from Winslow, I find it ludicrous that he will ask for another contract.

In late February Browns GM Phil Savage indicated that he’s in no rush to extend or add to Kellen Winslow’s contract. “Why would you do something with three years remaining on a contract? (We’ve) shown tremendous patience in dealing with Kellen and giving him an opportunity to come back,” Savage said, referring to Winslow’s motorcycle escapades. The club is believed to be at odds with Winslow over whether he should have shoulder surgery. Kellen underwent micro fracture surgery on his right knee January 31, 2007 at the Cleveland Clinic in an attempt to further repair cartilage damage sustained in the motorcycle accident in 2005.

The rumor that is going around on why Winslow is asking for a new contract is because he has “aging” knees and that he may only have a few more seasons left in him.  I can definitely put to rest those rumors due to Winslow passing a physical recently and getting a clean bill of health on those knees but I can’t seem to understand the nerve of Winslow to ask for a new contract, talk about biting the hand that feeds you.