GIANTS MULL MAKING PASS AT EDWARDS By PAUL SCHWARTZ Last updated: 11:10 am April 15, 2009 Posted: 3:25 am April 15, 2009
No doubt the Giants have two game plans heading into the April 25-26 NFL Draft. One if they trade for a veteran receiver and one if they don't.
The receiver they're most likely to land is Braylon Edwards, who is big and talented in the Plaxico Burress mold and also has some baggage, which probably doesn't make him a good fit in Cleveland with new coach Eric Mangini. Edwards is on the block, and the Giants are interested.
How much? We'll see. There's no doubt GM Jerry Reese and coach Tom Coughlin believe the release of Burress leaves the Giants without a legitimate No. 1 receiver. There's also a belief that, even with the talent at receiver available in the draft and the possibility of a trade up from the 29th pick, it's unlikely the Giants can select a rookie capable of making an immediate splash.
Edwards is only 26, an imposing target at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, and in 2007 was great with 80 receptions for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns. He was far from great (55-873, three TDs) last season, making news more for drops than catches.
Edwards is entering the final year of his contract -- he'll make $4.55 million this coming season -- and before trading for him the Giants would have to agree on a new long-term deal.
A trade for Edwards seems imminent now. Heard John Clayton on Mike & Mike this morning. He seems to think it'll cost them a 1st and a 3rd and perhaps a player in return.
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Eli lobbies Giants GM Reese to trade for Edwards BY TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com 9:33 PM EDT, April 16, 2009
Eli Manning already is trying to connect with Braylon Edwards, even though they still are on different teams.
The usually tight-lipped quarterback couldn't help but add to the speculation over a possible trade for the Browns receiver Thursday when, on ESPN, he was discussing the Giants' potential desire to acquire a big-time threat. Naturally, Edwards came up.
"You just see him make big plays," Manning said. "I know last year maybe wasn't his best year, but two years ago, he scored a lot of touchdowns. And I think you want a guy who can catch the ball and get in the end zone."
Manning stepped outside his usual mantras to make it known he would like a target to replace Plaxico Burress, released this month.
"I think Jerry Reese and the coaches and the owners, they've been studying all the receivers, whether it's the draft or free agents and what might happen, so I think they're on top of it,'' Manning said.
"They know we have some good receivers but that we might need a No. 1 receiver . . . And I'm sure something will happen during the draft or before the draft or right near it to help us out."
Appears the Giants are no longer interested unless the Browns come down in price:
April 23, 2009 No deal: Giants don't expect to land Edwards Ralph Vacchiano NY Daily News
The Braylon Edwards deal, which many people around the NFL believed was all-but done, now appears to be all-but dead.
According to a source familiar with the situation, the Giants no longer see any hope of acquiring the Cleveland receiver and are moving forward with their plans to take a receiver early in the NFL draft. The sticking point still appears to be GM Jerry Reese’s refusal to part with the Giants’ first-round pick and the Browns’ refusal to take anything less.
It’s pretty much been that way since Reese and Browns GM George Kokinis first talked about Edwards in February, but until very recently there was at least some optimism inside the Giants’ organization that one of the two sides would blink. Reese has no plans to blink, the source said, and the Giants are now convinced that Kokinis won’t either.
So, barring a late drop in the Browns’ asking price - or a dramatic change of heart by Reese — the Giants will head into Day 1 of the draft focused on getting a receiver to help out a corps thinned by the losses of Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer. Several sources have said they almost certainly will take a receiver in Round 1, though there’s at least a small chance they’ll draft a linebacker, depending on how the first 28 picks break.
The Giants also have an interest in moving up in the first round, according to several team sources. With two second-round picks, two third-round picks and 10 picks overall, they certainly have the ammunition to do it, although given their position in the draft it’s not likely they’d be able to get inside the Top 15.
So they won't give up their first and third (or so we think), but they may try and move up in the draft? Why not just trade the first and whatever it will take to move up for Edwards. He is a much more proven wide receiver than DHB or Harvin. The chances they can trade up far enough for Maclin or Crabtree are less than slim.
On another note, why are the Browns doing this? They already got rid of KWII, and Stallworth isn't going to be around. This leaves their top option as who, Steve Heiden?
Last we heard the Browns were asking for Kiwi and the Giants 1st. I blame the Cowboys.
Edit: I doubt the Giants move up. Seems much more likely to me that they would move down if they moved at all. And I could definitely see them taking a LB or T at 29 and then the BPA at WR at 45.
Last edited by Amazinz on Thu Apr 23, 2009 3:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
portisfan24 wrote:On another note, why are the Browns doing this? They already got rid of KWII, and Stallworth isn't going to be around. This leaves their top option as who, Steve Heiden?
I think the glimpse of success the Browns had a couple years ago turned the franchise full retard.
portisfan24 wrote:On another note, why are the Browns doing this? They already got rid of KWII, and Stallworth isn't going to be around. This leaves their top option as who, Steve Heiden?
I think the glimpse of success the Browns had a couple years ago turned the franchise full retard.
And everyone knows, you never go full retard.
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Braylon could put them over the top again.
