Braylon Edwards is stepping up in the locker room.
I asked Edwards, as he was getting ready to leave the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on Monday for a six-day bye week, if he's given his new teammates the full force of the Braylon boldness yet or if there's a lot more left for everyone to feed off of once the team reconvenes next Monday.
"I think the team has seen it. Guys have made comments," he said with a smile. "I think the guys have seen that I want to win, I want to do everything in my power to win. I'm here to help. I'm not here to cause problems and be a distraction. So I've just been going out there and giving it my all, practicing hard, playing hard, and I think the guys appreciate it."
They do appreciate his attitude, and they welcome the great things that may be ahead now that he and Cotchery finally were teamed at full strength for Sunday's home rematch against the Dolphins, during which they combined for relatively tame yet still beguiling numbers of seven catches for 144 yards and Edwards' not-to-be-denied 19-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.
How many times do you see it? A guy who was a problem somewhere benefits from a change of scenery. Make no mistake about it. Edwards is playing for a new contract and will be on his best behavior. He wants to show the league his former team was the real problem. Still, he's seemed very mature, a real asset during his month in New York.
I think the Jets need to make resigning him after the season a priority. Do you think it's more important to sign Braylon or Leon Washington to a new deal?