An off-season in review - Part Two

This is part two of a two-part segment, written by new Browns Bites blogger Nate Atkins. This segment will focus on Browns off-season moves and incidents that occurred after the new GM-head coach regime (more popularly known as ManKok) took charge.Trade of Kellen Winslow III'll admit, I was a big fan of Kellen Winslow's. You either love him or you hate him, and I loved him. I haven't enjoyed watching any Browns player since the 1999 expansion as much as I have Winslow (yes - I realize that really isn't saying much). I'm never one for "clubhouse cancers" but I never believed that Winslow was one. I do believe that Winslow has made some immature mistakes but none that were a matter of placing himself before the team. Love him or hate him, you can't deny that he gave his 100% at all times - something that can't be said for majority of players on the roster. He was vocal, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. An organization lacking general leadership was in need of a voice and Winslow supplied that. Teams need players that give it their all and fear nothing. Kellen Winslow can play for my team anyday.Unfortunately, he's not playing for my team. Not after a trigger trade shipped him to Tampa Bay in exchange for 2009 2nd- and 5th-round draft picks - compensation I can't say is worth the play and attitude Winslow brought to the field on every down.Yes, I realize that Winslow has knee issues, and growing ones. They're affecting his speed and will limit his ability downfield. The thing is, I don't believe the Browns project as a downfield offense any more, not if Brady Quinn remains the future behind center (which seems to be inching closer and closer to jeopardy with each passing day). Quinn has many talents in his arsenal; downfield accuracy is not one of them. Nor is making quick reads, which often jeopardizes opportunities downfield. Quinn excelled at Notre Dame with a mid-range receiver at TE in Anthony Fasano and in the one game this season in which both Quinn and Winslow were healthy, The Soldier recorded astronomical totals (111 yards and two touchdowns on 11 catches against Denver). Winslow would excel in a Quinn offense, limited or not. If a player has the glue-like hands of Winslow, I'll start him at Tight End on my team in a wheelchair.I've always been a major proponent of the following theory about managing a sports franchise: you don't fill holes by creating more.Maybe Winslow would only have been able to give us another five good years, totalling seven for his career. But will we be able to find a seven-time Pro Bowl-caliber player in the second round of this year's draft? We can only pray...Donte Stallworth's "Predicament"The term "predicament" is about the easiest way I can sum up the ordeal that Donte Stallworth has gotten himself into. And he truly has nobody to blame but himself. I won't bore you all with a teary-eyed speech about the ill effects of the selfish act of drunk driving, but I've always wondered why it had to take a death for violators to give an apology. Well, in this instance, a death did occur, thus spelling the end to Stallworth's "tenure" (if you can call it that) with the Cleveland Browns.But you know what? I found myself honestly not caring that he's done with the Browns. I'm a Browns fan through and through but a person first and foremost. Just like with the recent tragic death of Los Angelos Angels starting pitcher Nick Adenhart (R.I.P.), who was on the other end of the thoughtless crime yesterday. America's obsession with professional sports is a twisted one of we're worried more about the impact a death has on a team's ability to win than the impact it has on the lives in question.Building Rumors of a Braylon Edwards tradeAs of right now I have no right to any beef with the front office with this one - as "rumors" in sports have to be viewed in a very open-minded light - but unless there's a stupid suitor out there willing to sacrifice a lot for this wide receiver (which, considering the Lions fired Matt Millen last season, is probably pretty doubtful), I can't see the logic in trading Edwards.If the Winslow trade was a stab at filling holes by creating more, an Edwards deal leaves a smouldering crater in the center of Berea. Cleveland's wide receiver coprs was depleted anyhow before the release of veteran Joe Jurevicius and the permanent departure of Stallworth. Dealing Edwards passes the torch of top receiver over to...Syndrick Steptoe? And that's not just top wide receiver, but quite possibly top target in the passing game with the Winslow trade.Edwards is talented with issues (of the disappearing hands variety) that can be fixed with proper coaching. But regardless of your opinion on Edwards' potential, what is certain is that his value has never been lower than it is right now. Trading him would net the Browns exactly what the Winslow trade did - unfair compensation. Maybe even worse.Quite possibly, the Browns are free-falling into a true rebuilding mode. It's frustrating, but so is life. And rebuilding seems to be the life of a Cleveland Browns sports fan.