Browns | Winslow Out Up to Two Months

[HOSSman]

Browns | Winslow Out Up to Two Months - from www.KFFL.com
Mon, 20 Sep 2004 10:15:58 -0700

ESPNews reports Cleveland Browns rookie TE Kellen Winslow Jr. (broken fibula) is expected to miss up to two months of action after suffering a broken fibula in Week 2.

What a shame. And he was such a good soldier too.

[Triknique]

Was it a combat injury?

[HOSSman]

Originally posted by: Triknique
Was it a combat injury?

I was under the impression it was a dingbat injury, but maybe it was combat. Not sure.

[attila]

Courtney Brown to IR, OT Ryan Tucker out a month on top of losing their top two rookies they drafted (FS Sean Jones). Hopefully they are still healthy enough to take out the Giants this week. Lee Suggs getting healthy would be good for them.

[squabble]

It's amazing, he held out longer than he managed to play before picking up an injury i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif

[HOSSman]

Originally posted by: squabble
It's amazing, he held out longer than he managed to play before picking up an injury i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif


One slight problem though squabble, his injury could cost him a $5.3675 million one-time roster bonus.

Under terms of his six-year, $40 million contract with the Browns, Winslow gambled he would achieve one of 10 supposed easily achievable performance incentives. Those standards ranged from having 41 catches or 801 yards receiving or the simplest standard, specifically playing time.

All Winslow had to do was participate in 35% of the Browns' offensive plays and he qualified for two sets of bonuses that would have given him $5.3675 million in 2005.

His broken leg and subsequent surgery recovery should keep him out 8 to 10 weeks. Assuming the surgery goes well and he returns in 8 weeks, it still will be difficult for him to get the 35% playing time bonus because of the injury.

The contract, negotiated by Carl and Kevin Poston, called for the bonuses to be tied to the 2004 season. Normally, there are rollover provisions in contracts similar to these, but Winslow's contract does not appear to have a rollover of the bonus for future years.

Here are the terms of the contract:

# He could earn a $2 million roster bonus if he reaches any of the qualifers. The bonus would be paid in two installments -- $1 million on April 1, 2005 and $1 million on April 1, 2006.

# An additional $3.367 million was tied exclusively to making the 2005 bonus.

"Player can earn Conditional Roster bonus for 2006-2009 <u>only if 2005 Conditional Roster Bonus has already been earned</u>," the contract states.

The bonus is rolled over with qualifiers based on the same incentives package, but if the team isn't required to pay the first bonus, the second isn't applicable.

Thus, Winslow has to try be back no later than 10 weeks just to be able to play the final four or five games, but that still may not leave him enough time to play 35% of the snaps.

Last season, the Browns had 1,006 offensive snaps. This season, Cleveland had 110 snaps in the first two games, and Winslow played most of them. He would need to pick up more than 200 plays in the final month of the season just to get to the 35% minimum provision.

The good news for him is that "plays" do not translate into "catches". Given Jeff Garcias 0.0 QBR last week, he might very well be catching air all season. i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif

[squabble]

Originally posted by: HOSSman
One slight problem though squabble, his injury could cost him a $5.3675 million one-time roster bonus.

I saw that somewhere else... My heart bleeds for the poor soldier!

[lego]

You know what I find funny about this. I believe Winslow Sr. broke his leg too in his first year as a Charger TE. He is following in Daddy's foot prints.

[HellsBells]

He went to my high school and he is just another punk who thinks he is the greatest.

[HOSSman]

According to the AP and ESPN, the not-so-sturdy soldier requires another surgery and is out for the season.

ESPN Winslow Update. (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1890913)