Browns Sticking With Braylon Edwards, High on Brian Robiskie

Braylon Edwards would probably like to get his hands on a time machine and go back 12 months. And as long as we're defying the laws of physics, Derek Anderson would like to hitch a ride, too. A year ago, both players were coming off Pro Bowl seasons.

Today, they're still with the team, but have endured myriad trade rumors, inconsistent play, and for Anderson, a midseason benching.

Yet, training camp is five weeks off and both remain on the roster. New head coach Eric Mangini hasn't named his starting quarterback, although the word on the street is that it's Brady Quinn's job to lose. And Edwards, the club's 2005 first-round pick, is not only off the trading block, but should be an integral part of the Browns' offense.

Seems odd given all the offseason rumors, but the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto thinks Braylon's staying unless "a team comes out of nowhere with a huge trade offer late in training camp because a receiver is hurt and it is desperate for a replacement."

The Browns are hoping that as Edwards heads into some type of free agency (depending upon what happens with the collective bargaining agreement), he will be at his best this year. It's in his self-interest to do so and it's also a chance to revive his reputation, which took a hit when he led the NFL in dropped passes a year ago.

Pluto also writes that the Giants never offered a first-round pick for Braylon and nor did any other team. So even though the Browns would have moved Edwards for the right price, they weren't going to give him away for a couple mid-round picks and retread veterans.

Despite an abysmal 2008 season, that's the right move. Plus, with Donte' Stallworth's future in doubt the Browns are thin at wideout. That said, rookie second-round pick Brian Robiskie has mitigated some of the concerns about losing Stallworth, and Josh Cribbs, who is still looking for a new deal, has been working primarily at wideout this offseason.