Concerns About Jets TE Kellen Winslow Already?

ESPN New York’s Rich Cimini was told by an opposing personnel executive that the Jets should be concerned with recently signed tight end Kellen Winslow this season.

“I think it’s a lot like [David] Garrard… He’ll be fine in a workout, moving and running, but taking a hit, the grind of training camp and a full, 16-game season will be the litmus tests… I’d watch him closely to see if they manage his reps and practice time.”

Kellen Winslow, who has had at least five knee surgeries dating back to 2005, has been on a league-wide tour the last few years of his professional career. When the Cleveland Browns traded him to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in February 2009, Winslow instantly became an offensive weapon once again for Tampa averaging nearly 73 catches a year for his three seasons there. Things got sour in May 2012 before the team traded him to the Seattle Seahawks, who would end up waiving him by the end of summer. The New England Patriots decided to gamble on Winslow as insurance to Rob Gronkowski, but his Pats career would last just a single game.

The Jets, who lost Dustin Keller to the Miami Dolphins in free agency this spring, are desperate to gain weapons on offense for Mark Sanchez and/or Geno Smith. If Winslow ends up bottoming out like he did in Seattle, it’s likely Jeff Cumberland would become the starting tight end.

Winslow signed a one-year deal with New York  last week.