Tight end Kellen Winslow hopes to return to the Browns next season despite his midseason feud with the team and contract issues.

"I do want to be back here," Winslow said. "I love being here and playing here. The fans have stuck by me, so yeah."

Winslow, who will sit out Monday's game at Philadelphia with his high ankle sprain, said none of the players are sure of their futures because of uncertainty surrounding coach Romeo Crennel and General Manager Phil Savage.

"Whatever happens happens," Winslow said. "I love being a Cleveland Brown. The guys here, we don't know who's going to be here next year. It's tough. You just have to focus on this year."

He said he didn't know if his status would be affected by Savage's. Winslow became upset with Savage last month when he accused team officials of trying to cover up the tight end's staph infection.

"I'm not going to say," Winslow said.

He made it clear, however, that he has a very good relationship with Browns owner Randy Lerner. "I'm very happy with him," he said.

As for the new contract, he said: "I hired [agent] Drew Rosenhaus for that. That's his job." Then he added with a laugh: "I might just want to go and reach free agency. Who knows?"

Winslow is under contract for the next two years at $4.5 million and $4.75 million, respectively. His request for a new deal has not been met and Savage said recently that no contracts will be renegotiated before the end of the season.

Winslow acknowledged it's been a tough year for him, beginning with the staph infection and one-game suspension. He also suffered a bruised right shoulder and then the high ankle sprain against the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 30. He sat out the game against the Titans in Nashville, Tenn., last Sunday and could miss the rest of this season.

"It just hasn't gone my way," he said. "I'm going to continue to fight."

Despite the ankle taking three to six weeks to heal, Winslow is resisting going on the injured reserve list. The best-case scenario would have him back for the game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 21 in Cleveland Browns Stadium. The worst is him missing the remaining three games.

"I can come back, but I want to be healthy enough to help my team win," he said.

He said it would be easy to shut it down with the Browns at 4-9, "but my teammates are out there and it's hard to watch. I want to be out there with them."

One of the main reasons he wants to come back is Ken Dorsey, his former University of Miami quarterback. The last game they played together was the Hurricanes' loss to Ohio State in the BCS Championship Game at the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. Winslow caught 11 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown in that 31-24 double-overtime loss.

"I'd love to be out there with him again," Winslow said. "We always talk about it. But we've got to do a better job of protecting him. It was tough to watch on Sunday."

He said the two are so in sync "that we don't even have to say anything. It's there."

With Pro Bowl voting by the players and coaches this week, Winslow wasn't expecting to make it. He's caught only 43 passes for 428 yards and three touchdowns. Last year, he had 82 catches for 1,106 yards and five touchdowns.

"It's been disappointing," he said.

On the bright side, he said his oft-surgically repaired right knee won't need another procedure in the off-season. He revealed his last scope was performed by noted orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews, the same surgeon who repaired quarterback Brady Quinn's finger and scoped receiver Joe Jurevicius' knee on Thursday.

"He did a phenomenal job," Winslow said. "He's the best."

Injury report: The following players did not practice Thursday: running back Jerome Harrison (ribs), defensive lineman Louis Leonard (toe), defensive end Shaun Smith (calf), defensive end Corey Williams (shoulder) and Winslow (ankle). Returner / receiver Josh Cribbs was limited with a back injury but said it was nothing serious.

Roster move: The Browns signed running back Allen Patrick off the practice squad and signed tight end Jed Collins to the practice squad.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670