A few lines in Kellen Winslow Jr.’s contract with the Cleveland Browns could be as costly as the broken leg doctors found on his X-rays.
The rookie tight end, who underwent surgery for his right leg on Tuesday, could miss out on a $5.3 million roster bonus because he got hurt, ESPN.com reported.
Under terms of the six-year, $40 million performance-laden contract he signed in August, Winslow must participate in 35 percent of Cleveland’s offensive plays to receive the one-time bonus, paid in 2005.
It’s unclear whether there is a medical provision to protect Winslow in case of injury.
Winslow’s agent, Kevin Poston, who had contentious negotiations with the club, did not return a phone message seeking comment.
Browns spokeswoman Lisa Levine said the team’s policy is not to discuss any contract details.
Winslow is expected to miss at least two months with a broken fibula, which he sustained while scrambling to recover an onside kick in the closing seconds of Sunday’s 19-12 loss at Dallas.
On Tuesday, Winslow had surgery at the Cleveland Clinic to stabilize his fibula, the outer bone in his lower leg, which was cracked all the way through.
If Winslow’s recovery goes as expected, the earliest he could be back would be for a Nov. 21 home game against the New York Jets, leaving him seven games to play.
If he takes 10 weeks to get healthy, Winslow, who missed 12 days of training camp in a contract holdout, would only have four or five games to achieve the necessary games-played performance incentive to trigger the bonus.
The Browns have discussed placing Winslow on injured reserve.
According to ESPN’s report, Winslow’s contract states that he will receive a $2 million roster bonus — paid in two parts over two years — if he reaches certain performance standards, including number of catches, yards and playing time.
Another $3.3 million will be paid, but only if the incentives are met. However, if the Browns don’t have to pay the first bonus, the second one isn’t applicable.
In addition to Winslow, the Browns had five other starters injured on Sunday.
Defensive end Courtney Brown, who is out for the year after tearing the “Lisfranc” ligament in his left foot, also had successful surgery Tuesday.
Brown, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 draft, has had the past four seasons ended prematurely by injury. He is expected to take six months to recover from his latest setback, the same injury that ended the career of former Browns running back Errict Rhett.
Also, cornerback Daylon McCutcheon had surgery on a broken left middle finger.
Right tackle Ryan Tucker will miss two-to-four weeks with a strained right quadriceps, defensive tackle Gerard Warren could miss a month after re-aggravating a chest muscle, and left guard Paul Zukauskas sprained a knee ligament but is expected to play Sunday against the New York Giants.
Needing healthy bodies quickly, the Browns signed tight end Chad Mustard and defensive end Tyrone Rogers. Both have played for Cleveland before.
Mustard, who was waived by the Browns on Aug. 5, played in 10 games last season. He caught four passes for 29 yards.
Rogers appeared in 57 games over the past five years for Cleveland. He signed with Green Bay this summer but was waived by the Packers at the end of training camp.
The Browns also waived running back Dee Brown.
Brown’s departure indicates that Lee Suggs may be ready to play after missing the first two games with a neck stinger.
