Bucs Extend Kellen Winslow For 6 Years

Kellen Winslow was soldiered out of Cleveland and to Tampa Bay this offseason in a trade that seemed odd, given the Buccaneers propensity for purging offensive talent after the Super Bowl.

But it seems clear that the new Tampa regime believes Winslow is the real deal, because they announced today that the team has agreed to a six-year extension with the talented tight end.

"Kellen does some things with matchups I think that we can get that are really going to benefit us this year," said [head coach Jeff] Jagodzinski. "We can put him in different spots and move him around to get the matchup that we want. He can get in and out of a cut like a receiver, now. He's good. He's really good. I'm really looking forward to working with him and he's been great. He's been great out at practice, asking a lot of questions. [Tight Ends Coach] Alfredo [Roberts] had him in Cleveland already so he's very familiar with him and how he works and how he needs to be coached. I'm excited about him. I came off the field and I said, 'Man, we've got something good with him.'"

Indeed the Bucs do. And the extension makes sense -- although I don't believe the contract's numbers have been released -- because Winslow is the type of tight end that changes everything about an offense and gives the Bucs a tremendous weapon over the next half-decade or so.

Of course, they're probably going to need to put a few more weapons around him first, but that's an entirely different problem.