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Freed From Cleveland, Braylon Edwards Must Prove His Worth in New York

Posted Oct 07, 2009 4:15PM By Thomas George (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Browns, Jets, NFL Analysis

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Braylon EdwardsBefore the draft last April, the Giants were willing to trade their Plaxico Burress problem for a Braylon Edwards problem.

The Giants offered the Browns their second- and fifth-round picks for Edwards -- who they saw as having the height and skill-set combination that they desired in a No. 1 receiver. They believed they could get Edwards to return to his 2007 Pro Bowl form. And Edwards longed for the New York stage.

The Cleveland Browns mulled it over, decided it was a no-go, and hung on to Edwards through an 0-4 start in 2009.

But now Edwards' career has boomeranged around back to the Big Apple.

Cleveland dealt Edwards on the Jets on Wednesday morning, freeing him from a place where he never really felt like he fit in -- and sending him into New York, which has the bling he craves.

Here is the good news for the Browns: as part of the deal, they received receiver Chansi Stuckey, whom I believe will be a prime player in the NFL. He has the quickness, skill and heart to be a difference-making contributor for the Browns, and will instantly make them a better offensive team.

Edwards, however, is supposed to make the Jets offense superior.

He can do that, too.

At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, he has the size to take the ball away from defenders and the speed to gain separation. He will make safeties play him honestly in fear of the deep ball and that increased attention will help positively impact the Jets' running game. Remember, Edwards, while at the University of Michigan, became the only Big Ten receiver to gain 1,000 receiving yards in three consecutive seasons. He was the third-overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft.

In 2007, Edwards gained 1,289 receiving yards and caught 16 touchdown passes. In 2008, though, he dropped an NFL-most 16 passes.

The Jets want the higher-end version.

And whether they receive it or not largely depends on Edwards. He can be high-strung, unfocused and a look-at-me player that can cause more frustration than elation. The best of him, however, is quite good.

Edwards wants an additional career in modeling and acting. He can achieve that more readily in New York than in Cleveland. But he has to remember that his toast must come before his butter -- that his real focus is football and excelling at that job will make his other dreams possible.

From the time I have spent around Edwards, I think he will accept that and do that in New York.

He was unhappy in Cleveland. He is thrilled now.
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His former coach, Eric Mangini, said in Cleveland on Wednesday morning: "This was a real good thing for us and a real good thing for Braylon.''

No love lost there.

Jets coach Rex Ryan will be a perfect fit for Edwards. Ryan will ride him, challenge him, and Edwards will respond to that direct yet supportive vibe. Edwards is currently under investigation for allegedly punching a man outside a Cleveland nightclub early Monday. This incident, according to league sources, should not dramatically affect his remaining Jets season.

The Browns dealt with the Jets on draft day and paved the way for them to select quarterback Mark Sanchez. Now Cleveland is the team that provides Sanchez a No. 1 target.

The Jets were certain during training camp and through their 3-0 start that their receiving group was better than average and good enough to make their Sanchez-led offense shine. But that Saints' defensive smackdown on Sanchez and the Jets offense Sunday opened their eyes.

Sanchez needs a No. 1 receiver -- a true No. 1. He now has it.

The burden to produce falls squarely on Sanchez, one NFL general manager said.

"Really, [Edwards] is a quality receiver that you can do with him whatever you want to do with him,'' the GM said. "The physical makeup, the tools, they are there. The mental makeup is a question but it's not a huge question. The bigger one is if Braylon Edwards is going to struggle there because he has a very young quarterback. Pro defenses figure out young quarterbacks pretty quickly. For three weeks, Sanchez put out a body of NFL work after not having a whole lot from college. I think defenses have a bead now on what he can do and what he can't do.

"It's Sanchez who now has to adjust to the league. I'm sure the Jets are hoping that Braylon Edwards can help him do that in a big way.''

Tags: Braylon+Edwards, Chansi+Stuckey, Mark+Sanchez

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