This was from a little while back, but it is still relevant. Rich Cimini says Braylon Edwards was not going to take the small deal he got from the 49ers to stay with the Jets.
There was absolutely no way Edwards was going to play on the Jets for $3.5 million, sources told me. Edwards always felt he was better than Santonio Holmes (five years, $50 million) and he wasn't going to swallow that much pride and play for less than half of Holmes' annual average.
No matter the problems Edwards might have, the deal he got in San Francisco keeps risk to a minimum. Jason LaCanfora says it has no guaranteed money and that it only is for $1 million unless Braylon has 90 receptions and goes to the Pro Bowl.
I can only hope the Jets reached out with all of the Jerricho Cotchery stuff happening. He would have been the most logical replacement. Bringing back Edwards on the cheap would have kept him a starter with Santonio Holmes. In three receiver sets, Plaxico Burress would come in, and Holmes could move inside to the slot where he would dominate most nickels.
It is, however, also possible the Jets really just were not going to bring him back under any circumstances. That seems just as plausible since they surely could have topped San Francisco's offer. Pride may be important, but so is money.
We may never know what really happened.