Kellen Winslow played four snaps in his first game with the New England Patriots last week. He won't play any this week.
The Patriots released Winslow on Thursday, a source who had spoken with the tight end told NFL.com and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The team later confirmed the move in a press release.
Winslow actually asked for his release, according to Rapoport. He has undergone a lot of knee surgeries over the years, and the strong guess is that he was dealing with too much pain to continue.
Winslow's contract wasn't guaranteed, so the Patriots only paid him a low rate for one week of work.
Winslow has enjoyed a productive if tumultuous career, averaging nearly 700 receiving yards for seven seasons. His knee problems always made him appear older than he really was, so it wouldn't be a shock if Winslow's career ended here at age 29.
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