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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed new tight end Kellen Winslow to a six-year contract worth an estimated $36.1 million.
The deal guarantees $20.1 million and could be worth up to $42.1 million through incentives. Winslow, who came over from Cleveland in an early offseason trade, had more than 80 receptions in 2006 and 2007 before being slowed down by a staph infection last season.
Despite only having 219 catches and 11 touchdowns in five NFL seasons, he is now the highest-paid tight end in league history. Of course, he got his money through negotiations with super agent Drew Rosenhaus. The Bucs were committed to him long-term as they rebuild their franchise under new management.
They were able to come to this record-setting deal to keep Winslow satisfied and focused on the game. But can it really work? Was it too much money? Let’s add up the factors.
There have been questions about Winslow’s attitude in the past. Last season he had disagreements with the Browns’ front office that were made into a very public battle. Before that, he missed a season with injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident – when motorcycle riding was expressly forbidden in his contract due to the fear that those injuries could occur. And of course, back in college at Miami, everyone should remember his “I’m a f—ing soldier” rant to reporters after he knowingly taunted an injured opponent.
There is also the question of his durability. Winslow played in a grand total of two games in his first two NFL seasons.
He also missed six games in 2008 over a staph infection. There are some caveats to these issues. Winslow’s disagreement with Browns management last season was over the fact that seven Browns had suffered staph infections, and he thought they had been negligent in handling the problem. Winslow was most likely correct, which Browns owner Randy Lerner acknowledged.
I must also point out that he appeared in all 16 games in 2006 and 2007, making the Pro Bowl in the latter season. So was it too excessive for the Bucs to sign Winslow for at least $6 million a year? It depends on which Kellen Winslow we get. Over the next six years, we may see them both.
-Brenton Burkett
Brenton can be reached at burkett@ut.edu
If you’re wondering which would hurt more, getting stabbed in the head with scissors or taking a knife to the neck, just ask Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Geno Hayes.
21-year-old Hayes’ girlfriend became belligerent after a late night argument in earlier this month, and instead of using her words, decided striking Hayes in the head with a pair of scissors would best convey her message. As the linebacker gained control of the scissors, his 19 year-old girlfriend then snatched a knife and added emphasis with a blow to the neck.
She was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, but released on $25,000 bail. Hayes was treated at the hospital and confessed that he and his significant other were having an argument.
Though it remains undisclosed what prompted the argument, I think it’s clear what Hayes, a former player at Florida State University, did.
He cheated.
-Bobby Winsler
Bobby can be reached at minaret.sports@gmail.com
Following the recent releases of five veterans, including future Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks, our hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers had some gaps to fill in through free agency. In the process of building a youth movement, the new regime of head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Mark Dominik have made a few smart moves, but have left some unanswered questions.
They shocked the professional football world on Feb. 27 when they traded draft picks to the Cleveland Browns for Pro Bowl tight end Kellen Winslow. The 2004 first round pick out of Miami has been a game-changer with his size and speed whenever he has been healthy. He only played two games in his first two seasons and missed six games in 2008, largely due to a staph infection. In his two full years, he amassed nearly 2,000 receiving yards and was an absolute beast at his position. He may reclaim this status with the Bucs.
The team also re-signed receiver Michael Clayton to a five-year contract. 80 of his 205 career receptions and seven of his nine touchdowns came in his 2004 rookie season. His productivity has been limited since then, mostly due to the recently-revealed allegations that he was in former coach Jon Gruden’s “doghouse” for the last few years. Now with renewed confidence and job security, Clayton can work on catching the ball and scoring for a change. He should have All Pro ability with his already strong route running and blocking skills. With no Joey Galloway or Ike Hilliard, he will need to step his game up.
The Bucs then signed running back Derrick Ward. Ward, a third of the “Earth, Wind & Fire” tandem with the New York Giants, will again find himself among a host of talented backs. He and Brandon Jacobs both rushed for over 1,000 yards last season in New York, becoming only the fifth set of teammates to accomplish this feat. He is proven as a strong runner in a multi-back system, and should be a great fit in Tampa alongside Earnest Graham and Carnell Williams.
They have left a few spots to be filled, mostly on the defensive side. By losing the Albert Haynesworth bidding war and letting Jovan Haye go to Tennessee, the Bucs have fallen woefully short on defensive linemen. With the releases of Brooks and Cato June, they are down on linebackers as well. Will the defense recover without Monte Kiffin? Only time can tell.
Overall, the Bucs have done a nice job so far in free agency, but need to make some big moves in the Draft if they want to be successful in their tough division.
-Brenton Burkett
Brenton can be reached at bburkett@ut.edu
So the Washington Redskins are officially my most hated team in all of sports at this current moment. This hatred stems from the ludicrous contracts that were signed by Defensive Tackle Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall. Are you kidding me Dan Snyder, owner of the Redskins? I hope your happy wasting 154 million dollars on two players. Basically, you have made another moronic move since you’ve taken the reigns of the Redskins.
I don’t understand why owners insist on paying players so much money before they even step on the field. The idea of millions of dollars in guaranteed money simply makes my blood boil. Haynesworth signed a 100 million dollar contract and 41 million is guaranteed. All I can do after saying that allowed is swear profusely inside my mind and type a bunch of expletive deleted characters !@#$$%%#$#^$%^#$%. This means Haynesworth can fall down the steps in his house, break both his legs, never play again, and boom he has 41 million dollars in his bank account just for signing a piece of paper !@@$@#$#%$#%#$.
Something seriously needs to be done about this ridiculousness asap. When I say that, I am talking directly to Roger Goodell, current NFL commissioner. Set some maximum limits on guaranteed money in contracts already.
I wrote an article on last year’s NFL draft, citing how obnoxious the guaranteed money was in rookie contracts. Players that have not stepped a foot on an NFL field and every single one of them can turn into the next Ryan Leaf. I remember when Jamarcus Russell got drafted a couple years back by the Oakland Raiders with the number one pick and his contract ensured him 30+ million dollars in guaranteed money. Hey, Al Davis, how’d that investment turn out for you, you senile old man? I’ll answer that question; not so good. Russell is just another overpaid player straight from the draft. Sure he had potential and still might, but he gets more money than a substantial amount of NFL veterans who deserve that money a lot more than he does.
But Davis has done one thing right lately. And that was to cut Hall, who the Redskins foolishly picked up and now signed to an absurd contract. Hall just signed a contract worth 54 million dollars. Well Snyder took a page out of Davis’ playbook and overpaid this overrated “superstar.” Davis gave him an 80 million dollar contract and then cut him. If the Raiders cut him then that is really bad because they need all the help they can get. So what do the Redskins see in Hall that no one else seems to? God only knows, but Snyder is becoming the NFL’s biggest bonehead owner fast.
It baffles me the money that is being thrown around in this league. Haynesworth just a few years ago was going to be burned at the metaphorical stake for stomping on Andre Gurode’s head
and Hall is just an overhyped, overpaid player, and has been, from the very beginning of his career and the Redskins have made them two of the highest paid players at their positions; Haynesworth actually gets the highest of a defensive player ever. When will this ignorant cycle end? The economy is in shambles, player contracts are skyrocketing, and that can only mean two things: higher ticket prices and perturbed fans. If I was a Redskins fan, I would boycott. Why should a fan have to suffer at the stupidity of the front office? Sure Haynesworth has been dominant for the last two years, but things change, people get older and break down. Haynesworth has played one full 16 game season and that was in his rookie year in 2002. So I hope the Redskins don’t have high expectations of seeing him out on the field every Sunday because I surely don’t. And just wait until they realize Hall is just a name and they watch him get burned by more experienced wide receivers in the league.
Unfortunately, both of these players will probably start in the Pro Bowl because of the cockamamie voting system the NFL has for its All-Pros. Haynesworth will probably have a nice season, but not 100 million dollars worth for the future and Hall will just be a joke.
-Sam Gerb
Sam can be reached at sgerb@ut.edu
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