10/07 – Sometimes in a professional career, one can get a fresh start. After riding the roller coaster for more than four years in Cleveland, Braylon Edwards has a tremendous opportunity to reconstruct his image in New York with the Jets. “I think it’s a fresh start and a clean slate,” he told reporters late this afternoon, hours after he arrived in New York. “I just really appreciate Coach Ryan and Mr. Johnson for taking another chance on me and believing I can help this team out.” The 6’3”, 215-pound Edwards has unquestioned athletic ability. He’s got tremendous speed and jumping ability. The former Michigan standout not only set school receiving records with 252 receptions, 3,542 yards and 39 TDs but he also ran track, participating in both sprints and the high jump for the Wolverines. And Edwards, now in his fifth pro season, is a tough player who will throw his body around while running after the catch and blocking. “I’m a little bit taller than Jerricho [Cotchery] — don’t tell him I said that,” Edwards said. “I’m a big guy, a physical wideout. Thomas Jones is a great running back and I believe I can get on those defensive backs on the outside for him and get to those safeties so he can have those big runs.” Throughout the first quarter of this season, Edwards saw a lot of bracket coverage as he caught 10 passes for 139 yards during the Browns’ 0-4 start. But he averaged 15.9 yards a reception in ’08 and 16.1 yards a grab in ’07 as he set career highs with 80 receptions, 1,289 yards and 16 TDs. “I work hard, I come to play every day, I’m a good teammate and I go out and do everything I’m supposed to do on the field. I pick up offenses and I study,” he said. “At the end of the day, I’m just really trying to be a guy, I’m just trying to help this team out. They’re going in the (forward) direction already even before I got here. If I can help that direction any, that would be great. I thank them taking a chance on me and it will pay off in the long run because I know what I’m capable of and I know what I can do.” But there have been lingering questions about Edwards’ character. He allegedly struck a person outside a nightclub last weekend and it’s an incident that both the Cleveland Police Department and the National Football League are investigating. The full biography also reveals a person who in 2007 donated $1 million to the Cleveland Municipal School District to create a college scholarship opportunity for 100 eighth-grade students named Advance 1000. And the former Wolverine donated $500,000 in ’06 to create a scholarship endowment at Michigan for the football player who wears the No. 1 jersey — the largest endowment pledged to UM by a pro athlete. “It does tick you off,” he said of his current negative label. “My mom and I have this conversation all the time. She gets more angry than I do about it and I do feel like I want to create, not a new image but I’m trying to just brush it up in order to be that good guy you speak of.” Edwards, whose father, Stanley, also played football at Michigan and then served in the NFL with both the Houston Oilers and the Detroit Lions, was not a stranger to many in the Jets’ locker room. He is close with Kerry Rhodes, played collegiately with David “Hitman” Harris and grew up in Detroit like Bart Scott. In fact, the fellas got on him a little bit about his suit pants looking a little high. “I feel like there’s already some type of camaraderie as it relates to me and those players,” he said. “I think it will be easier to meet and get along with other players and be transitioning as opposed to going somewhere where I don’t know anybody.” Before the sun fell here in Florham Park, N.J., Edwards knew it was time to get down to business. He called New York “a great city with a great sports tradition” and everyone knows New Yorkers love nothing more than a comeback story. “It’s been very exciting. I’m extremely happy to be here. I can’t really make that aware enough, how happy I am to be here,” he said. “Now I can talk to you guys, take a look around the building, and then try to get with the coaches and Mark [Sanchez] right away so we can get that offense down. "Now that I’m here and I’m a Jet, the cute part is over with. Now I have to go out and produce starting tomorrow in practice.”

Edwards as a Jet: 'Fresh Start ... Clean Slate'

10/07 – At 1:51 p.m., a slim, tall gentleman in a nicely tailored charcoal suit and a tasteful shoulder bag walked through the players' entrance at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center and toward the locker room. Braylon Edwards had arrived just in time to drop in on the Jets' annual team photo. Edwards worked his way through the glad-handers who are his new teammates, following this morning's trade with Cleveland for the top wide receiver. He said hello to his new receiving partners, gave a hug to former Michigan teammate David Harris, and quickly got to changing in front of his new locker, with EDWARDS 17 over the locker already having replaced STUCKEY 83 Shortly after 2 p.m., the fifth-year wideout was ready to climb onto the instant bleachers assembled half a turf field away from the building just for this occasion. But first Edwards chatted with his new quarterback, Mark Sanchez., then made some small talk with owner Woody Johnson, who helped bring him here from the Browns. "I put on this green jersey and it felt a little strange," he told his new boss with a smile. Green, of course, is the color of the Michigan State Spartans, archrivals of those Michigan Wolverines. Pleasantries done, the team's banter and byplay quieted for just a minute as the cameras clicked and the strobes flashed. No. 17 sat in the front row, in between No. 16, fellow Jets wideout Brad Smith, and No. 20, running back Thomas Jones. Braylon Edwards has already blended into this new team of his. That's one of the ideas of bringing him aboard, said head coach Rex Ryan at this afternoon's news conference, slightly delayed from the team photo period. "I think Braylon's going to be part of this football team," Ryan said of how the new guy fits in. "He doesn't have to be somebody he's not. He can just come in, relax, play the game, enjoy his teammates and be part of something that we think has a chance to be special. I think he's going to fit right in with our group. We have a lot of veteran leadership on our team. I think he's going to enjoy the atmosphere here. Our players and our coaches enjoy coming to work every day, and I don't think he's going to be any different." All that is true, and yet as Ryan mentioned a few times, the beguiling thing about Edwards is his rare talent, which Ryan had to defend against six times as Baltimore's defensive coordinator when the Ravens played the Browns from 2006-08. (Edwards didn't play against Baltimore in his rookie season of 2005.) "I had to defend against him twice a year in Batlimore and that's not fun," Rex said. "He had some of his biggest games against us in Baltimore. He was a matchup nightmare. You almost have to roll your coverage to him — he's that kind of talent. I thought at the end of the day, when you can put him and Jerricho [Cotchery] out there on the outside, it should open up our running game and open things up for Dustin [Keller] as well." In games vs. the Jets in 2006 and '07, Edwards totaled five catches for 84 yards and a touchdown. But in the six games vs. the Ravens, his dangerousness came out. He averaged 4.7 catches and 79.8 yards per game, 17.1 yards per catch, four touchdowns total. Here are Edwards' receiving numbers vs. Ryan's Ravens defense (home team in CAPS):  Year,Gm Final Score Receiving Line  2006-1 Ravens 15, BROWNS 14 5-116-23.2-58t-1  2006-2 RAVENS 27, Browns 17 5-68-13.6-28-1  2007-1 BROWNS 27, Ravens 13 3-97-32.3-78t-1  2007-2 Browns 33, RAVENS 30 (OT) 8-85-10.6-22-0  2008-1 RAVENS 28, Browns 10 3-27-9.0-17-0  2008-2 Ravens 37, BROWNS 27 4-86-21.5-28t-1  Totals   28-479-17.1-78t-4 As far as the price the Jets paid in trading away WR Chansi Stuckey and LB Jason Trusnik, Ryan responded as GM Mike Tannenbaum did earlier in the day: "Jason Trusnik, I think, has a chance to go to the Pro Bowl as a special teams player. We know Stuckey is an excellent receiver. We just thought Braylon, when you combine him w Cotchery, I really think that's going to open things up on the inside. And if you dont respect him, this guy can make you pay." As far as Edwards' off-field issues, Ryan responded again as Mike T did: "I feel good about our process. Anytime we add a player to our football team, we've done an extensive background check. We're comfortable with the player on the field and off the field." And as for when No. 17 will take the field, the coach didn't hesitate. Edwards will be practicing Thursday and the plan is to start him against the Dolphins on Monday night. Ready to roll vs. Miami? "Yeah, he'd better be," Rex said. "Here we go. Yup, he's going to be out there one way or the other." Wednesday Notes Ryan said CB Lito Sheppard (quad) practiced today. Nothing to report on CB Donald Strickland (ankle) or T Damien Woody (ankle). ... The team photo was ready to be snapped but Bart Scott was spotted wearing a red sparring glove on his right hand, which stood out in the sea of green and white. Scott turned the glove over to Bruce Speight, senior director of media relations, and the shooting continued. "You've got to dare to be different sometimes," Scott told Woody Johnson afterward. ... A total of 115 Jets filled the temporary stands — 62 players, 53 coaches, front-office members and support staff.

Rex: Braylon 'Will Fit Right In with Our Group'

10/07 – Often when an NFL player is traded, he immediately signs a more lucrative contract with his new club. This is not the case for Braylon Edwards as the former Cleveland standout will arrive in New York this afternoon and continue working under the final year of a five-year deal he signed with the Browns in 2005. “We acquired Braylon and his contract and we’re going to honor his contract,” said Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum. Edwards, a Michigan product who was selected No. 3 overall by the Browns in the '05 draft, gets a chance to prove his worth in new situation. He is being investigated by both the Cleveland Police Department and the National Football League for a scuffle outside a nightclub last weekend. But the Jets and vice president of security Steve Yarnell, who was a former FBI special agent, thoroughly investigate anyone who walks through their doors. The Green & White think they can work with Edwards and it will probably also help that the receiver leaves a winless team for a 3-1 Jets club that has its eyes on a return to the postseason. “Sometimes a fresh start can do a lot of people good. We can look at Wayne Hunter and Kris Jenkins. I think when they came here, they exceeded our expectations with a fresh start,” Mr. T. said. "As I told Braylon this morning, we’re excited he’s a Jet and he’s going to be here. Let’s learn from what happened in Cleveland but today’s a new day, a new team, and we’re excited he’s with us. We’re going to go into this with our eyes open and it’s a true partnership.” Tannenbaum stressed that Edwards, 26, is still a young man and he believes the organization will be a good landing spot. The Jets have a locker room full of character and their newest addition will be able to help himself by soaking in some knowledge from vets like Jerricho Cotchery, Tony Richardson, Thomas Jones, Alan Faneca, Bart Scott and the aforementioned Jenkins. You cannot question Edwards’ skillset. He’s physical, fast and tough, and he'll be a valuable addition to a team that's currently ranked 25th in scoring (18.3 points per game) and 27th in pass offense (166.8 ypg). The 6’3”, 215-pound Edwards, who has 10 catches after four games, caught 55 balls in 2008. But he rocked the NFL in ’07, hauling in 80 passes for 1,289 yards with 16 scores. His career stat line includes 238 receptions, 3,697 yards (15.5 per grab) and 28 TDs. By trading for Edwards, in the final year of his deal, are the Jets sending a "win now" message? “Our expectations are always to have a successful season. That’s why we do everything we do year round,” Mr. T. said. “If these trades happen the same year, it’s much more of coincidence than anything else. It was just what we felt was the right price, the right opportunity, at the right time.” Tannenbaum was referring to the second time in less than six months that the Jets and the Browns have pulled off a blockbuster trade. If you’re scoring at home, the Green & White got Mark Sanchez and Edwards in exchange for five veteran players — S Abram Elam, DE Kenyon Coleman, QB Brett Ratliff, Stuckey and Trusnik — and draft picks. Sanchez cost the Nos. 17 and 52 picks in April. The Jets have not disclosed the picks in the Edwards deal. “We’re excited we got Mark Sanchez on draft day, we’re excited we got Braylon,” Mr. T. said. “But we’re always trying to improve the team and our expectations are high. We owe that to our fans and that is what Woody Johnson expects from us.” So the Jets will have Edwards for this season's final 12 regular-season games and hopefully the postseason. But we'll have to stay tuned to see if he's a Jet in 2010 and beyond.

GM on Edwards Trade: 'New Day, New Team'