Sports Radio Interviews

Braylon Edwards: “I Have Nothing Against LeBron”

This post was written by Chris Fedor of WKNR in Cleveland. After a phenomenal career at Michigan where he became the school’s all-time leader in catches, receiving yards and touchdown as a wide receiver, Braylon Edwards was drafted by the Browns with the 3rd pick in the NFL draft in 2005. While at Cleveland, Edwards didn’t really live up to the enormous expectations and didn’t really live up to his draft position. Don’t get me wrong, he did have a Pro Bowl season in 2007 that can’t be ignored, but when you compare his numbers to that of other top-5 draft picks in recent memory like Larry Fitzgerald or Andre Johnson, they just don’t compare. There are a number of reasons that you can point to for his disappointing seasons and a number of them are not even his fault. However, he was inconsistent at times, had some off-the-field occurrences and could face possible disciplinary action for an alleged assault on one of LeBron James’ friends.

By trading for Edwards, the Jets are taking a big risk, but they think it’s certainly worth it for what he can bring to them on the field.  On the field, he has all the ability to be one of the best receivers in the entire NFL and he showed that ability in 2007.  He’s got the size, the speed and the athleticism.  He’s got physical tools at the wide receiver position that are hard to come by and is a legit number one receiver that the Jets didn’t have before this trade went down.  He just hasn’t been able to put it all together consistently with the exception of one season.  I think a change of scenery is exactly what Braylon Edwards needed.  Getting to a franchise that is trying to provide a winning culture and put a winner on the field, will only bring out the best in an ultra-talented receiver that has yet to live up to his enormous talents.

Braylon Edwards joined Michael Kay on ESPN 1050 in New Yorkto talk about getting traded to New York, what happened in Cleveland, the allegations against him, the comments LeBron James made about him recently and his future in New York.

On whether he feels this is a second chance for him to change people’s opinion:

“At the end of the day, I feel as though I played in a city where we had a bad team for four out of the five years that I was there.  The Browns have been a bad team for 10 out of the 12 seasons since they’ve been back, it just wasn’t good.  I feel as though there was some extra scrutiny that was unwarranted.  There are some things that I’ve done wrong that I wish I could do back, but outside of a couple of drops last year, or one or two things, I don’t feel as though it’s a second chance more than it’s me going to a better team and a better situation that looks like they know how to win.   I’m moving in the right direction and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

On why he thinks he lacked focus in Cleveland the last couple of years:

“At the end of the day, you don’t try to tell exactly what things are.  I’m just so happy to move forward.  I lacked some concentration, now I’m focused, now I’m here.  You just try to move forward.  Last year Jamal Lewis gets hurt, Derek Anderson gets hurt, I have ankle surgery, Donte Stallworth gets hurt the first play before the first game of the season.  We weren’t the same team.  I played with four different quarterbacks last year.  I can sit here and say all these things, but I just chose to say hey ‘there were some lapses in concentration there,  wish I could focus a little bit more but I’ve worked on that.’  Coach Ryan obviously trusted me enough to bring me to the Jets.  Having his brother in Cleveland watching me practice and play everyday I’m sure is a big reason why.  People look at that and they’ll  understand why coach took a chance and why I’m going to capitalize on that chance.”

On getting acclimated to the offense:

“I don’t think people are listening to me.  I’m running the exact same offense that I ran the year I went to the Pro Bowl and last year.  I’m super-familiar with this offense, so you’re getting a guy that used this offense to have a big season in ‘07.  I know it, so it just takes a little refreshing from now until Monday night, but I definitely know the offense.”

On whether he thinks the Jets can be a Super Bowl contender:

“I definitely do.  You have a defense that is playing well.  The guys that they have on defense are players.  They have Bart Scott, Jenk (Kris Jenkins) in the middle, you’ve got Darrelle Revis who is arguably the best defensive back in the league now with the way he plays and the level he plays, Kerry Rhodes, David Harris, you’ve got guys that are players on that defense that are making plays.  Then you turn around on offense you’ve got Jerricho Cotchery who has been consistent for the last four years, Dustin Keller, who is a phenomenal young talent, Thomas Jones who led the AFC in rushing , Leon Washington who is a changeup guy, you’ve got guys that can play, you’ve got a great offensive line.  I could sit here and name names all day, but the fact remains that they have players and now players have been put in a situation to play well together and that’s what they are doing.”

On the allegations against him:

“That’s a situation that, like I said, Roger Goodell will have to speak on when the time is right.  Right now the right people are handling that.  It’s something that I’m still going to stay away from.  I don’t know right now.   I’m focusing on the Dolphins which is going to be my first start.  I’m playing football, so far nothing has come on either front and right now I’m playing football under those circumstances.” 

On whether he has anything against LeBron James:

“First of all, if you’ve ever listened to my interviews, I’ve said nothing but positive things about LeBron James.  I’ve talked about his athletic ability, I’ve talked about him being arguably the best player in basketball.  I’m not trying to sit up here and kiss LeBron’s butt for the situation.  I’m speaking on what I’ve actually said about him.  I did make a joke because here we are in Cleveland, he goes to a Cleveland Indians game, and you wear a Yankees cap.  The Cleveland fans ridiculed LeBron for that, I simply cracked a joke about it.  You come to a Cleveland Browns game for the first time and you sit on the Dallas Cowboys sideline and you wear a Dallas Cowboys jersey or hat or whatever it was.  Mine had nothing to do with him as a person or jealousy.  I think that is just ridiculous that that would even be said like that.  So no, I have nothing against LeBron.” 

Listen to Braylon Edwards on ESPN Radio New York with Michael Kay (:30 into podcast)

Tags: Braylon Edwards, Braylon Edwards traded to Jets, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, NFL interviews, Rex Ryan