NFL: Jets Want To Bring Braylon Edwards Back

Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl

Rex Ryan left little doubt he wasn’t pleased with the Jets’ inability to stretch the field during their lost season.

He may be reuniting with a familiar face to help remedy that situation.

The Daily News has learned that the Jets are interested in bringing back free agent wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who was an integral piece in Gang Green’s success in 2009 and 2010.

Edwards signed a one-year, incentive -rich deal with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent before the 2011 season, but was waived before Week 17 and is free to sign with anyone.

The Jets are looking for a replacement for Plaxico Burress, who won’t be re-signed when free agency begins on March 13 and said Tuesday that he would love to play for the Eagles.

Edwards, 29, battled knee and shoulder injuries before San Francisco cut him loose. The Jets would like to bring Edwards back if he’s healthy and the price is right, according to a source. It’s uncertain whether Edwards would like to play for the Jets again.

Edwards, who led the Jets with 904 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2010, was repeatedly praised by Ryan during his time with Gang Green for his ability to stretch the field and his blocking prowess.

“He had two outstanding seasons for us,” Ryan said last month. “He was an outstanding blocker.”

The Jets lacked a viable deep threat during their disappointing 8-8 season that saw them miss the playoffs. Mark Sanchez completed a league-low two passes of 40-plus yards in 2011. Edwards ranked sixth in the league with five receptions of 40-plus yards with the Jets in 2010.

Edwards’ blocking skills and deep threat ability appear to be ideal fits for the Jets’ revamped offense under new coordinator Tony Sparano, who is expected to return the team to its ground-and-pound roots.

Edwards did have off-the-field issues with the Jets, most notably a DWI arrest in September of 2010.

A year ago, the Jets gave Santonio Holmes a big payday (five-year, $45 million deal) rather than Edwards, who had 15 catches for 181 yards in nine games with the 49ers.

The mercurial Burress, who had 45 catches for 612 yards and eight touchdowns in his first season back in the league after more than two years away from football, told a Philadelphia radio station on Tuesday that he’d like to play for the Eagles in 2012.

“Nothing else would make me happier,” Burress told 97.5 FM in Philadelphia. “I really believe (Michael Vick) can bring a championship to Philadelphia and I would love to be a part of it.”

Although Burress, 34, said that the Jets “pretty much just left the door open for me to make a decision to come back,” he won’t be playing for Gang Green in 2012.

“Obviously as a team we didn’t accomplish our goal,” Burress said of his one season with the Jets. “I just wanted to get out and get my legs back under me and go out and be productive. I’m thinking coming into this year, I’ll be a lot stronger and get back to the things I know I can do and go to a place where I can let my skills show.”

WRITTEN BY MANISH MEHTA / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS  & FULL STORY HERE