Yes, the acquisition of Ohio's former alligator-armed bandit will give rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez another talented target. But bringing in Edwards is more than likely to give general manager Mike Tannenbaum a migraine and Edwards' locker-room mates a reason to hurl.
Sure, Edwards was brilliant in the 2007 campaign where he caught 16 of his 80 receptions for touchdowns — a number second only to Randy Moss' NFL record 23. Additionally, his 1,289 receiving yards landed him in the top 10 in that category. But to follow that up, in 2008, Edwards dropped more than five times as many balls (16) as he caught in the end zone (three) and had just 55 total receptions. But his problems weren't limited to the field.
The Michigan alum's pro career got off to a rocky start. As a rookie, he held out of training camp for 13 days before the Browns coughed up $18.5 million guaranteed in a five-year, $40 million deal. He's now four games deep into the final year of his deal and what does he have to show for it? Of those five years, the third overall pick in 2005 has been productive for one and an underachiever in 3 1/2, catching 12 touchdowns in his 46 career games, not counting the 2007 season.
Off the field is a different story — only because it's worse.
A year into the league, Edwards disobeyed then-head coach Romeo Crennel and rented a helicopter to attend the Ohio State-Michigan game in Columbus. Not only did he turn his back on the coach by attending the game, he was late for team meetings later that day and was subsequently fined and benched for a portion of the following day's game.
Last August, Edwards had an interesting run-in with the law. The wide receiver decided to drive his Bentley nearly twice the speed limit at 120 mph in Avon, Ohio, with a passenger vomiting inside the car. The wide receiver was slapped with 30 hours of community service, fined $150 and paid $102 in court dues.
Earlier that month, Edwards injured his ankle at practice for what he admitted was "a case of horseplaying gone wrong."
He's also proven that he can't handle being out of the spotlight. Just this past week, he punched the friend of Cleveland's sports king, LeBron James, whom Edwards was badmouthing prior to the ruckus. Last season, Edwards also ripped King James at a fantasy football appearance, questioning the Cavs star's allegiance to Cleveland after James was spotted wearing a New York Yankees hat at a Dallas Cowboys football game.
This past March, Edwards ran up a $3,443 drinking tab at a Miami Beach nightclub with Donte Stallworth just hours before Stallworth struck and killed a pedestrian. Stallworth later pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter.
Jets fans will learn — or Patriots fans will hope — that Edwards will be catching more cabs than passes. While he fights the biggest names in sports for the New York City spotlight, his true self on and off the field will come out: Mr. Edwards Scissorhands himself.
