The Browns suspended Kellen Winslow for one game.
They should go further and give him the release that he desires.
Winning isn't worth what Winslow has put the Browns through the past couple of weeks.
[snip]
The Browns are a 2-4 team with Winslow playing while worried about his contract.
What will they be with him playing while obsessed about getting out of Cleveland?
It's too bad the option to keep him inactive the rest of the season — a la the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Keyshawn Johnson — is no longer there. (That move does not exist under the current NFL collective bargaining agreement.)
So release him.
Winslow can find out what he's worth on the open market, and the Browns can move on.
No.
Look, this whole thing stinks to high heaven. The Browns look like bumbling fools, Winslow looks like an asshole and the entire team is suffering from this. Nobody is blameless here.
Like a lot of people, I see this as the beginning of the end of Winslow's tenure in Cleveland. I'm not thrilled about it, but I'm OK with it. I like the guy (and I hated him after the 2002 National Title game) and I think he works his ass off. He's also one of the only guys on this team who shows up week-in, week-out and he has one of the best sets of hands in the NFL (and most certainly on the Browns).
Though I do think that Winslow is worth the trouble, I can see why getting rid of him would be desired. But if the Browns decide to part ways with K2, it is imperative that they receive draft picks in return. They've traded picks for Quinn, sat on potential picks by keeping Anderson (which is looking worse and worse with every passing game) and traded picks for Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams, in no way can they lose Winslow and not get anything in return.
8 comments:
I think this is a microcosm of Browns problems, and that's absolutely no leadership at the top. Why try and hide that KW has staph? You know its gonna come out sooner or later.
And then neither Lerner or Savage call the guy. Alot of people gave Winslow shit for questioning why they didn't get in touch with him. Well ya know what? If the best player on team goes down with staph, the 6th or so in the last few years, you better check up on the guy and see how he's doing. I don't blame KW one bit for not wanting to be a part of this dysfunctional mess
This is the behavior of an organization with no leadership at the at the top, and quite honestly, its the culture of team whose owner really has no idea on how to run a successful organization, because he's had everything in his life handed to him.
Whew! Alright, I feel a lot better after I got that off my chest. I don't mean to be so melodramtic, but upper levels of the Browns organization is not very professional IMO, and its been evident for some time now. We have much bigger problems than a QB constroversy. Its a systemic issue at this point.
Ya, Savage talking about how much work he does, how busy he is.
If LeBron or Mo Williams (hell, the guy who face planted) are in the hospital, you think Danny Ferry might give 'em a ring?
If Grady or Victor are sidelined with staph, you think Mark Shapiro checks in?
My bet is that Winslow wins his appeal and gets his game check back.
Heck, Danny Ferry gave Brian Windhorst a personal visit while in the hospital. Granted, for a life-threatening condition, be he made time for a guy not even employed by the team.
This is definitely a personal issue between Savage and Winslow. I think their relationship really started to deteriorate when Winslow made his public contract demand in February. The drafting of Martin Rucker was Savage's way of saying "You won't manipulate me. If you hold out, the organization won't grind to a halt."
I think Savage makes time if it's Edwards or J-Lew or a number of other players in the hospital. It's not that Savage is cold-hearted or necessarily trying to be cloak-and-dagger about staph (which would be pretty difficult given the proliferation of mass-media), I just think he's generally icy toward Winslow.
Well, see that is my problem, Erik. I don't care if Savage doesn't like Winslow or if the Browns trade him. That's a part of the business. And quite honestly, they might be better off if they can get some draft picks, as Ben pointed out.
But what I do have problem with is making it so blatantly obvious. In short, it's unprofessional. If you don't like the way KW is acting out of line (which granted, I don't think KW's in the wrong), that doesn't mean you give him the cold shoulder for everyone to see. You treat him like a professional...talk to him...listen to him...consider his POV and situation...etc, etc.
That's what I mean in saying this isn't a top of line organization. And again, this starts not with Savage, but at the top, with Lerner. He's the one who has been absent throughout all of this. There is simply no organizational direction/culture to build on. It all starts at the top.
Ben,
You hit on my main bitch with Savage. He is supposed to be a great draft guy and yet he places no value on draft picks. You give away a first and a second for Brady Quinn. Then when Derek Anderson's value is higher than it ought to be he makes no effort to move him for picks. If BQ is worth two picks then he is your future not DA. Several other deals show he lets picks go too cheaply.
Like the many coordinators we've seen who end up out of their league when elevated to head coach, Savage seems better suited to be an assistant making suggestion to a GM with better judgment about the big picture. Bottom line: Some folks are not meant to hold leadership positions.
Graham,
I agree on Savage in that he lacks some of the people skills needed in an administrator. Part of the learning curve he and Crennel have had some much trouble with. But Crennel gets blasted for his lack of leadership, but Savage gets a free pass, or at least got a free pass until recently.
However, my belief is that the lack of professionalism goes both ways. If Savage is making it clear that he has an axe to grind with Winslow, then Winslow is airing the organization's dirty laundry in public. At the very least, it's the old adage of "praise in public, criticize in private."
If someone has a problem with you, I'd think that just about everyone would rather hear it to their face as opposed to reading it in the newspaper. That's where Winslow went wrong in this whole mess.
Honestly, I'd be pissed if I was in Savage's shoes. But then again, he knows he has a loose cannon in Winslow. If you have Kellen Winslow on your roster, you take these kinds of risk that he's going to assail you in the media. If you don't want to take that risk, get rid of him.
I'm OK with the Williams and Rogers deals... if they had traded away Anderson. But they kept him (stupidly IMO), and they've lost a lot of young players in the process.
I like Savage, I really do. I love the fact that he's tried to improve the lines, which is something that every other GM has neglected. I fully believe that the reason why the Browns won 10 games last season was because of Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach.
The Browns could never pressure or protect the QB, and he's tried to address it.
But I don't understand the lack of linebackers, especially when your coach insists on running the 3-4. Savage is giving Crennel fat linemen when he really needs a fast linebacker. (and then drafting Rucker seemed/seems unnecessary).
At first I figured that Crennel would be gone after this year and Savage will get to pick another coach. But then a buddy asked, "well, would Cowher want to be GM?" So who knows, we could see a complete house cleaning after this season. It wouldn't be surprising if Savage, Crennelephant and Winslow are all else where next season.
For what it's worth, the Browns have already settled with Winslow, and he'll keep his game check and be fined 25K, but he'll still miss today's game.
The whole bumbling lot of these newbies needs to go. This franchise desperately needs leaders who have been proven winners both on the field and in te front office. The more I learn about the John Collins affair, the worse Savage looks. Our drafts have been bad, our development of players has been worse, and it seems we correct problems a year later than we should. If Derek ends up being a good QB fine, Ill eat crow, but I just think its wishful thinking from the FO if they expect him to develop into a consistantly good quarterback. Im with Brain McPeek over at TheClevelandFan - to hell with everyone in the organization from the FO on down. BQ, Shawn Rodgers, Erik Wright, BMAC, the O-line, Cribbs and a few others can stay, axe the rest.
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