For about the last 24 hours or so, when word of Kellen Winslow's suspension leaked out, I've been trying to think about what to write.

Is it Winslow's fault? Is it Romeo Crennel's fault? Is it Phil Savage's fault?

At first, I blamed it on Savage, considering he couldn't spare a few minutes to give one of his stars a call while he was in the hospital. (And apparently doesn't do it with other players)

Then, I blamed Winslow. He needed to more callous with the entire situation and not spout off to the media.

Earlier today, I was blaming Crennel for not telling the team. From AP:

Despite a disturbing number of staph cases in recent years, the Browns did not inform their other players that tight end Kellen Winslow was hospitalized with a staph infection earlier this month.

One day after the Browns suspended the Pro Bowl tight end for one game without pay for comments and behavior disparaging to the organization, coach Romeo Crennel said the team kept Winslow's illness private after reaching an agreement with him not to disclose his medical condition.

"He was in the hospital and it was a personal issue," Crennel said Wednesday in explaining the team's decision to keep Winslow's illness from his teammates.

Patrick McManamon has a very good recap of the whole scenario on his blog. Since he gets paid to do it, he's much better at this conjecture than I am, so check it out.

Now that this thing has basically run its course, I'm back to blaming Savage. Take away the blabbing to the media aspect of the situation, and it's incredibly hard to fault Winslow. Is anything he had to say incorrect? If he was just complaining about the team playing bad, would he be suspended?

Most people are convinced he's only doing this because he's upset about his contract situation. Others think he was suspended because the Browns don't want him.

I don't believe either.

To me, this is just a situation of "Kellen being Kellen" and the Browns holding him on a short leash due to his attitude and the motorcycle incident.

Still, Savage could have remedied the situation just by giving Winslow a call in the hospital and being up front with the media about the situation. Problem solved.

Instead, as McManamon wrote today, Winslow's days in Cleveland are numbered. And that's sad. He's a heck of a lot of fun to watch and plays the game the right way.

Notes…
Indeed, there is more going on with a 2-4 team than a staph infection situation. Such as…

Wait, actually there isn't. Check back in tomorrow because I'll have some thoughts on what I want to see in Sunday's game. Please note, it will include nothing about Kellen Winslow!

On Sunday, I'll be live-blogging the game, so stop in and say hello.

It's maybe a little late in the week to for sure if tight end Kellen Winslow will play Sunday, but at least he's back at team facilities. From AP:

Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow has returned to the team, though he has not been cleared to practice after being hospitalized with an undisclosed illness.

Winslow was seen walking the hallway in the Browns' headquarters Thursday. Coach Romeo Crennel says the Pro Bowler might practice Friday as Cleveland continues preparing for Sunday's game in Washington.

Winslow fell ill last week and spent three nights in the Cleveland Clinic. He was discharged Sunday but was inactive for Cleveland's 35-14 upset of the New York Giants on Monday.

Now the real question becomes do the Browns actually need him on Sunday? The offense ticked against a stellar Giants defense and Steve Heiden is a much better run blocker.

Also, anyone else hear the Eagles inquired about sending the Browns a first-round draft pick for Winslow on Tuesday? While it's not a trade the team should make, it is interesting.

Also interesting is this column Patrick McManamon wrote today.

For those of us who religiously watch the NFL Transaction Wire, it was a bit of a surprise today to see the Browns part ways wide receiver and former Bowling Green standout Steve Sanders.  The team released him, along with deleting rookie Travis Key from the practice squad. 

Replacing Sanders on the 53-man-roster was former Bronco safety Hamza Abdullah.  Abdullah is a veteran who started eight games in 2007 for Denver.  He's pretty much the same as the other safeties the Browns have right now:  special teams players with limited coverage skills.  It would be surprising if he finishes the year on the Browns.

In other less than thrilling news, Kellen Winslow is sick, and not in the good way.  The Browns star tight end has missed two practices and was sent to the doctor.  It's possible it's just the flu or some other bug, so don't go overboard with this one.

And finally, are you unsure of what to vote for?  Brady Quinn and Joe Thomas say vote John McCain.  The 2007 first round picks were at a rally in Strongsville, OH to support the Republican Senator.

At 7 p.m., the Browns are holding their annual Family Night extravaganza at Cleveland Browns stadium. By extravaganza, I mean glorified evening training camp. The cost is $5. Find more information on the event here.

There will be nothing here that you can't see by going to Berea, but it could be a fun time if you have kids. The only thing I'd really say to do is watch the rookies as they come onto the field for the first time. Sometimes they'll show how awe-inspiring it is to finally make it onto NFL grass. Especially watch outside linebacker Alex Hall for this. He comes from tiny St. Augustine, so this should be some culture shock.

Notes…
Linebacker Antwan Peek is expected to miss the remainder of training camp with an injured knee and all preseason games after having arthroscopic surgery on his knee.

Don Banks, the very good football writer for Sports Illustrated, was at Browns camp. He talked with Braylon Edwards a lot. Check it out.

Even if you're not a Zips fan, try to make your way over to meet the team night Aug. 10. It's always a fun way to meet the players and chat it up with them for a bit. Just like Family Night, if you have kids, this is great.

This past week's Whispers column by PFW brought up an interesting tidbit. 

"According to a source close to the club, Browns WR Braylon Edwards, who has only two years left on his contract, is in line ahead of TE Kellen Winslow when it comes to getting a new deal. Winslow, whose contract has been the source of offseason speculation, has three years left on his rookie deal."

So the question is, why Edwards before Winslow?  Who knows, but apparently taking a helicopter ride to an Ohio State-Michigan game and then missing a team meeting ranks lower as a transgression than crashing your motorcycle. 

In other news, K1 (Kellen Winslow Sr.) is the finalist for Central State's Athletic Director job, per Kyle Nagel of the Dayton Daily News.

And while we all know about the ongoing knee issues of Joe Jurevicius, people may not realize how important he is to the Browns offense.  Terry Pluto talks about how efficient Joe was at moving the chains.  That's something that Donte Stallworth likely won't be doing. 

Finally, the schedule for Training Camp has been released. 

Just in, good thing the Browns didn't trade for Jaguars wide receiver Matt Jones.  He was arrested on felony drug charges in Fayetteville, AR.  Jones was in a car cutting up cocaine with a credit card, and at the time of his arrest admitted to officers that their was cocaine on his credit card. 

Terry Pluto did a great in depth analysis of Jamal Lewis, and what he meant to the Browns ground game in 2007.  Some of the impressive stats throughout that article:

• Lewis averaged 5.2 yards per carry from his fifteenth carry of the game forward, against 4.1 yards per carry with his first fifteen carries.
• When the Browns had a lead of a touchdown or less, he averaged 6.1 yards per carry.
• Running to his left, behind Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach, Lewis averaged 5.2 yards per carry.

Plain and simple, Lewis carried the offense last season, despite the acrobatics of Winslow and Edwards.  Lewis is 28 years old, but an old 28.  For his eight year career (including one missed season, 2001, due to injury), he has totaled 2120 carries.  While Lewis had a great renaissance last year, the team has to temper expectations on his long term productivity.

That's what makes their interest in former Lion Kevin Jones all the more interesting.  According to the AP Wire, the Browns requested a tape of the workout Jones recently conducted. Jones was cut in the offseason after tearing a ACL late in 2007, a season in which he was coming back from a Lisfranc injury.    Jones may have once been an explosive, slashing back, but to consider him for more than the veterans minimum is silly.

In more important news, IGN has released individual player rankings for Madden 09.  If you're more of a visual learner, you can see the Browns offensive depth chart and then the defensive depth chart. Interesting things that Madden 09's rankings have taught me about the Browns:

• Gary Baxter and his two torn Patella tendons make him an equal with Brodney Pool.
• Leon Williams will apparently be starting over Andra Davis.
• Davis has the second lowest morale on the team, despite being a Captain last year.
• Kellen Winslow blows him away though, with a whopping 45 on morale.
• LeCharles Bentley has a 0 rating for Celebration…guess two years of war with Phil Savage on proper rehab did steal him of his smile.
• Most important though, Bentley has a morale rating of 90.  Madden's staff will never claim to be Nostradamus, just darn close.

Since the real fun is Madden is never to win with your team's roster as it was intended, check out the free agents listed.   The answer there to the Browns cornerback issues are much more interesting than seeing a training camp feud between A.J. Davis and Jereme Perry.   Just go get Ty Law for a few million and go win the Super Bowl!

Lost yesterday in the LeCharles Bentley fiasco was defensive back Gary Baxter's return to the field after he too missed almost two seasons.

Baxter even one-upped Bentley: He tore both of his patellar tendons in 2006. No player has ever returned from tearing both patellas. Baxter participated in team drills on Wednesday, but is challenging for a spot on the roster at safety.

It's probably safe to assume that Baxter has lost some athleticism, but if healthy, he could help as a backup to Brodney Pool and Sean Jones.

Notes…
Speaking of Jones, Zac Jackson of Cleveland Browns.com just wrote about the safety. Jackson writes that Jones is the team's best-kept secret, but he's still trying to establish himself.

ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton has been in Berea watching the Browns. He filed a story on how Shaun Rogers will help Cleveland's run defense, one of the worst in the league the past few seasons.

We can all remember where we were when it happened.  It's a turning point for all diehard Browns fans, the day that LeCharles Bentley tore his patella on the first day of Training Camp on July 26th, 2006.  Personally, I was making fun of a Bengals fan at work who then in turn broke the news to me.  For nearly two years we have been waiting for Bentley's return, which occurred yesterday.  And now there is nothing but questions. 

During Bentley's first practice yesterday, he was mostly talked about playing right guard, writes Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository.  It's a position he's familiar with, Bentley came into the league and played right guard for a season in New Orleans before moving to center, replacing Jerry Fontenot.  It's clear that Bentley intends on remaining a center, as he said that "I came here as a center. I would like to stay there, but whatever happens as far as getting the best five guys on the field … it doesn't really matter to me."  Given the tone of the conversation, it seems clear that Bentley in his mind is still a center, and there is a tone of dissent.  At least it's going to be in Cleveland, right?  Well…

"Absolutely, I will be playing somewhere, starting, in '09."

Oh boy…here we go. 

What's clear is that while Bentley's return is a plus, especially given Ryan Tucker's hip injury and Seth McKinney's injury history, why does it feel like Bentley is already a foot out of the door?  Bentley's latent dissatisfaction with the Browns can be felt in his comments, dating back to last summer.  He then goes on to say, per Tony Grossi, "So whatever happens, I want to see the team do well."

In the article, Bentley talks about how he could have played in October 2007, and was even in full pads and contact, but the team shut him down because of his mechanics and his running.  Bentley also makes a point of saying how he physically was ready for the Browns test, as he did the same thing several times over in Arizona while recovering.  Feel the heat? 

It sounds to me like the fan inside, the kid who earned his nasty reputation at St. Ignatius High School and then Ohio State, and the player who understands the business side of the NFL, are at war.  Bentley knows he doesn't have a clear path back to a starting job in Cleveland, but he sounds confident about his health. 

After two years of waiting, are we the fans just setting ourselves up for a heartbreak with Bentley?  Only time will tell. 

The Browns secondary has been all over the news since Daven Holly's knee injury last week.a Proving that Northeast Ohio's luck is always just a bit short, the crop of available cornerbacks is a bit bare. General manager Phil Savage has proven he can work miracles with a disaster position, as shown by the trade to acquire Hank Fraley in 2006 after LeCharles Bentley's knee exploded on the first day of training camp. So can Savage find a gem in this group?

Ty Law, UFA, Kansas City Chiefs: This one seems to be the most logical fit, but truly isn't. Law is the best corner left on the market after his release from the Chiefs, and he has a history with Romeo Crennel heading back to their time together in New England. The problem is that Law hasn't been a lockdown corner since 2003, and he's coming up on his 14th season in the league. Law still has the smarts and ball skills, but not the quickness to make breaks on the ball. Plus, he's likely much too expensive.

Ashton Youboty, Buffalo Bills: Terry Pluto reported on Sunday that the Browns had interest in the third year corner from Buffalo. Youboty has not been a popular guy in Buffalo, after two injury riddled and low production seasons. He was knocked in 2006 for declaring early for the NFL Draft, and slid to the third round despite being labeled as having first round upside. He's a solid man to man corner with fluid hips and athleticism. Since he's so raw, it's hard to predict what could happen with him. Youboty is a favorite of defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, who was his defensive backs coach while at Ohio State. This trade seems most likely, but don't expect this to be a rush. Savage would be wise to late till cuts start rolling in training camp, and he can steal Youboty just like he did Fraley in 2006.

Lito Sheppard, Philadelphia Eagles: Another one to file in the unlikely column, Sheppard is talented but the Eagles are asking a lot for him (multiple picks), and more than that he's always hurt or playing at less than 100 percent. Why trade for an injury riddled player when you are trying to boost a position riddled by injuries?

Dominique Foxworth, Denver Broncos: The most likely trade candidate, after Youboty, is gearing up to be Foxworth. He is an experienced nickel back who plays well in man-to-man coverage. He has great recovery speed, though he isn't the most physical corner. The Broncos have listened to offers for him this offseason, so he could be had.

Mil'von James, UDFA, UNLV: James made the roster being a favorite of Savage. He caught Savage's eye in 2007 when the team was scouting eventual second round pick Eric Wright. James is a project, as he only played one season there after transferring from UCLA. James is thick, well-built and aggressive at the line. If you can get your hands on it, catch his September 2007 game against Utah where he broke up four passes.

Damon Jenkins, UDFA, Fresno State: If one of the two undrafted free agents make the team, it'll be James. Jenkins is more of a special teams ace, as he's pretty raw in coverage. He runs hot and cold, and gambles a bit too much. One other problem was that Jenkins struggled academically while at Fresno State.

Given the way the market has been, and with Terry Cousin being the last quality cornerback left on the market, the Browns have little wiggle room. Savage has had misses in the past on corners (Antonio Perkins), and the position was not addressed in the draft. The cornerback position was already a spot of need before Holly's injury, now it's a top priority. Let's hope a little luck comes Cleveland's way.

It's likely Miami defensive end Jason Taylor won't be back with the Dolphins. New management, namely Bill Parcells, didn't like that Taylor skipped offseason activities to participate in Dancing with the Stars.

That leads to the question: Should the Browns go after the former University of Akron star?

Greg Simms of the Dayton Daily News seems to think so. While it would be nice, the cost for Taylor could be too high. The Dolphins reportedly turned down Jacksonville's offer of a first-round pick before the draft for Taylor.

But Taylor's trade value has decreased recently after Miami head coach Tony Sparano said the six-time Pro Bowl selection will sit out training camp. Terms like "disgruntled" and "boycott" are now associated with Taylor, which means he could possibly be had for a second day draft pick. It all depends on if the Dolphins will budge because Parcells has said Taylor will either be a Dolphin this year or retire.

Matt Williamson (also a former Akron guy) of ESPN's Scout's Inc. said the Dolphins should expect a third rounder for Taylor. Unfortunately for us, the Browns traded next year's third-round pick to Dallas to take Martin Rucker.

So then, is Taylor worth a second-round pick? Consider that Taylor's 34 and was a little spotty last season when the Dolphins used a 3-4 base on defense. In those formations, also, Taylor often played strong-side outside linebacker, where Kamerion Wimbley plays.

Also consider that Taylor probably only has only another two or three good years left in him and that he's seen his tackle total drop the last three years.

On the flip side, in the past three seasons, Taylor has 36.5 sacks and an incredible 18 forced fumbles. He's also bigger and, arguably, faster than any member of Browns' linebackers.

Taylor has said he wants to play for a contending team, which the Browns can now be considered, but so can Jacksonville and Washington, the two likeliest trading partners for Miami.

After all that, is two good years of Jason Taylor worth a second-round pick in 2009? Put on those trading shoes Phil Savage, it's time to dance. (And yes, the above picture is supposed to give you nightmares)

Notes…
Carlos "Big C" Holmes of the Dayton Daily News writes that the Browns got a steal in linebacker Beau Bell. Holmes talked with the guy who trained Bell prior to the draft, so his opinion is probably a little biased.

As it is, Bell may be a steal, but I wouldn't look for him to start immediately for the Browns.

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