Braylon Edwards traded to Jets

[elcheato]

In seeking the spotlight, Braylon Edwards irritated teammates and coaches: Analysis
By Mary Kay Cabot
October 07, 2009, 8:08PM

BEREA, Ohio -- It didn't take Eric Mangini long to figure out what some of those before him already knew: Braylon Edwards was more trouble than he was worth.

It began on draft day in 2005, when Edwards was visibly upset that the Miami Dolphins picked Ronnie Brown at No. 2 overall instead of him. Edwards admitted he wanted to go to Miami, and lashed out at the Dolphins and then-coach Nick Saban for lying to him and using him.

It was doomed from the start.

During the 2005 season, Edwards displayed his uncanny knack for saying something controversial and then blaming it on the media. That year, he said he thought a switch from Trent Dilfer to Charlie Frye would give the offense more life and energy. When he took heat from teammates, he said he was taken out of context.

But it was 2006 that was really the banner year for Edwards. That year he:

• Disobeyed head coach Romeo Crennel, renting a helicopter to attend the Ohio State-Michigan game in Columbus and arriving late for a team meeting. Crennel fined him.

• Criticized offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson's playcalling, saying he wasn't aggressive enough in the red zone.

• Called out teammate safety Brian Russell, saying Russell's hit that knocked Cincinnati's Chad Johnson out of the game "bull----." Crennel, in turn, blasted Edwards for criticizing his own teammate. "It was a legal hit," Crennel said. "You don't air family laundry."

• Went berserk on the sidelines of the Bengals game, grabbing Charlie Frye's jersey and screaming at teammates. Later, he accused teammates of quitting and "flat-out not playing."

• Was benched by Crennel for most of first half of a 22-7 loss to Tampa Bay after missing a team meeting Friday morning. Then he dropped two passes. Afterwards, Derek Anderson said, "We just all need to grow up and make plays."

Folks lambasted Crennel for not cracking down harder on Edwards, but several sources said General Manager Phil Savage, who drafted Edwards, prevented Crennel from doing so.

Other sources said that when Edwards wasn't missing team meetings, he was falling asleep in some of them -- especially on Friday mornings after being out late on Thursday nights. Again, Edwards was viewed as untouchable.

After the 2006 season, veterans such as Joe Jurevicius tried to set him straight, and it worked for a while. In 2007, he had his Pro Bowl season, catching 80 passes for 1,289 yards with 16 touchdowns.

Unfortunately for Edwards and the Browns, it went to his head. In August of 2008, he was pulled over after driving 120 mph in Avon at 2 a.m. with his passenger vomiting. Edwards only got a ticket after WOIO revealed the incident, and he blamed it on the station.

Then, he ran around practice that summer with his shoes off and had his foot gashed by Donte Stallworth, missing the entire preseason. When he returned, he dropped three passes in the opener -- the start of his 2008 dropfest. Two days later, he said of LeBron James, "LeBron isn't a Cleveland guy. LeBron only plays for the Cavaliers, and who knows if he even likes the Cavaliers?"

It was the first sign that he had issues with the King.

Edwards' season went downhill from there, ending with an NFL-high total of between 16 and 24 drops -- depending on who's counting. He was also near the top of the league in intercepted passes intended for him. Along the way, he told ESPN's Jim Rome how much he hated being here as a rookie and how he felt "unappreciated" and "a marked man" because he was from Michigan. He also frequently bashed offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski in front of teammates, sources said.

During the Texans game on Nov. 23, he approached safety Will Demps between plays about how to get into modeling and acting, according to Demps in ESPN The Magazine.

When the season was over, Edwards was out partying with Donte Stallworth -- spending $3,443 on champagne, vodka and other drinks at a posh Miami bar -- on the night Stallworth drove drunk and killed Mario Reyes.

Edwards was reportedly one of the players fined recently for not paying his hotel incidentals and is believed to have filed a grievance against the Browns. During the Bengals game, when he was held without a catch, he was overheard barking about not getting the ball. Later that night, when he was at The View, he reportedly complained to WKNR personality Sabrina Parr about his coaches and quarterbacks, saying he has no room for improvement.

Afterward, he allegedly punched James' friend, Edward Givens, and also punched his ticket out of town.

At least Mangini figured out the truth before the trading deadline passed Oct. 20.

 

[footballplaya52]

i never knew he was with stallworth that night

 

[.GR]

What are the picks?
Browns really don't have anything going for them.

 

[TTN2810]

Yup, I don't like Anderson as much because he's been benched. I don't care what you say about the coach, the fact is he was benched and Braylon hasn't. And a 3rd pick isn't too much. You guys had to get something nice right? And I don't mind giving up a 2nd round pick at all if Braylon does good.

Maybe he wasn't benched, but he was traded. LOL

 

[dez]

What are the picks?
Browns really don't have anything going for them.

3rd and 5th, IMO it makes the trade even

 

[420]

Looks like the Jets have fleeced the Browns twice this season. Once for the Mark Sanchez trade-up in the draft, and now for BE17. Good work NYJ front office.