Cleveland Browns Trade Kellen Winslow to Tampa Bay for Draft Picks

Kellen Winslow is no longer a Brown. While he may still be a soldier, he is also now a pirate.

The Cleveland Browns have traded tight end Kellen Winslow to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for undisclosed draft picks. As of yet, I have not been able to track down what the draft picks were. I’m about to run into meetings at work, so please leave any further information in the comment section if you have it.

Update: Our very own Midnight Writer posted a solid analysis of the Kellen Winslow trade from the perspective of both Kellen and the new guys in charge of the Browns, Eric Mangini and George Kokinis.

Here is the statement about the Browns trading Kellen Winslow from new Browns GM George Kokinis, per ESPN.com:

“We appreciate his passion for the game and wish him success in Tampa Bay,” Browns general manager George Kokinis said in announcing the move. “The draft picks we have obtained through this deal will give us greater flexibility as we look to infuse more talent and create competition and depth on this football team.”

Kellen Winslow play four star-crossed seasons with the Browns. Over those four seasons he only played 44 games because of injuries and last year’s suspension. He totaled 219 catches, 2,459 yards, 11 TDs, and made the Pro Bowl in 2007. Winslow was the Browns’ 1st round pick in the 2004 draft, after trading up one spot with the Lions to get him.

What do you think? Good move for the Browns? On its face, this seems somewhat curious to me. I realize the Kellen has been something of a headcase and created his share of problems while developing a me-first reputation, but he is one of two legit play-makers on a Browns offense (with Braylon Edwards) that lacked play-making ability last season. We’ll see if the Browns have any plans to add receiving help in free agency, or if this move now compels them to go offense with the #5 pick in the 2009 draft.

Either way, the loss of Kellen Winslow (assuming he would be healthy and play well in 2009) leaves a gaping hole that will somehow need to be filled.

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