Seahawks acquire Kellen Winslow Jr.

The Seattle Seahawks have acquired TE Kellen Winslow Jr. from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a conditional draft pick.

The Bucs reached agreement with former Colts TE Dallas Clark earlier today, after which Winslow announced that the team was attempting to deal him.

I’ll get right to the point; this is potentially a huge move for Seattle.  Despite being limited in practice due to a lingering knee issue, Winslow caught 75 passes for 763 yards and 2 TD’s last year.  Earlier in his career he had a reputation for a diva-like attitude and a lack of durability, but over the last 6 seasons he’s only missed 6 games while catching 432 passes for nearly 4,800 yards and 23 scores.

The cost of acquiring the 28-year-old TE is a conditional draft pick, likely a 6th or 7th rounder that could improve to a 4th or 5th based on performance.  In 2009 the Bucs signed Winslow to a contract that was, at the time, the largest ever for a TE, but only $13.3 million remains over the next 3 years.  His 2012 salary is $3.3 million, and reportedly the trade does not hinge on a renegotiated deal.

In other words, there’s no risk here for Seattle.  If he shows up less than healthy, or less than motivated, there’s no guaranteed money on the books; you cut him and lost a late round draft pick.  If he plays up to his vast potential, you’ve just stolen an elite talent.

Seattle head coach Pete Carroll wants to utilize two-TE sets liberally as part of the Seahawks play-action pass, run-first offense.  The team signed Zach Miller to a $34 million dollar contract prior to the 2011 season and envisioned him pairing with 4th year player John Carlson.  But Carlson missed the entire year with a shoulder injury, and Miller spent most of the season helping out the young offensive line as a blocker.

This year, with Matt Flynn a likely upgrade at QB, and alongside a running game that looked mostly dominant over the last 8 games of 2011, TE’s could thrive in the Seahawks offense.

The duo of Miller, 27,  and Winslow, 28, could give the Seahawks the best 1-2 TE punch this side of Gronkowski and Hernandez.