Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards Winless With New Teams

(Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

There’s no question the Browns may have the worst offense in the league.

However, their two biggest weapons from two years ago aren’t helping their new teams win either.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 0-6, the New York Jets are 0-2 since trading for Braylon Edwards.

Two moves that Eric Mangini have made look to be the correct ones. When he first decided to trade tight end Kellen Winslow to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I was very upset. He was one of the few players the Browns had who wore his emotions on his sleeve and played when in obvious pain.

However, Winslow’s emotions got the worst out of him as well and the Browns’ front office saw that. They also saw his desire for a new contract, which Tampa Bay inexplicably gave him. That contract included $36 million deal with $20 million guaranteed. This contract prevented them from adding other players and at 0-6, they could definitely use help. Trading him would undoubtedly cause Tampa Bay to take a huge cap hit. Winslow has had a good year, hauling in 29 passes for 286 yards and four touchdowns.

Granted, Winslow is their only dependable offensive weapon this year, but the Browns received two draft picks in exchange for him, which would have helped Tampa. They did receive a 2010 second round pick for defensive end Gaines Adams, a monumental first-round bust from the 2007 NFL Draft.

They turned this year’s selection into wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, who has 16 catches for 278 yards (17.4 average). Even though he’s a rookie, Massaquoi comes to work, is not a distraction and doesn’t get flagged for penalties. He will be an offensive building block for the future with fellow rookie Brian Robiskie.

Then there is Edwards, who seems to rise to the occasion on Monday nights and turns into a prima donna in regular Sunday afternoon games.

Yesterday, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez threw three passes in the direction of Edwards that resulted in interceptions. One of them deflected off the hands of Edwards and it appeared as though he ran the wrong route on another pick. He finished with three catches for 40 yards and the Jets lost to the Buffalo Bills, 16-13 in overtime. Yes, that’s the same Bills team that scored three points against the Browns last week and were flagged for nine false starts.

Edwards needs 47 catches in the final 10 games for the Browns’ third round choice to escalate into a second round pick. Linebacker Jason Trusnik, whom the Browns received in that trade, started in place of Kamerion Wimbley and recorded a sack.

The Jets also lost Pro Bowl nose tackle Kris Jenkins for the year, a huge blow for a team that runs the 3-4 defense. Their season is slowly getting away from them and could end up in middle-round draft position by season’s end.

The Browns offense is pretty dysfunctional right now. They have scored 69 points in six games and rank near the bottom in a number of offensive categories. However, Edwards was probably not going to be retained by this regime after the season and had the Browns given Winslow a lucrative contract, their hands would be tied in terms of flexibility in adding help in a number of areas.

Ask the Buccaneers and Jets if they wish they could have those draft picks back now.

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