Link: Braylon Edwards Practice Photos
The gang over at JetsInsider.com have a practice report and gallery of pictures of Braylon Edwards first practice as a Jet. Here’s a little of what they wrote about Edwards his role and how he looked on Thursday in pads.
As he went through position drills it was perfectly apparent why the Jets’ front office and Rex Ryan decided this was a guy they had to have. Edwards has been blessed with an alarmingly imposing physique, his 6′3″ frame towering over some of the defensive backs on the club.
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But it’s the threat of Braylon Edwards that the Jets needed. The threat of a big-play receiver on the outside. Jerricho Cotchery is a top-flight receiver in the NFL, but there’s only a small handful of wideouts who can both command, and still be successful when a doubleteam comes their way. Having Edwards means single coverage for Cotchery, a situation in which he can immediately excel.
Right. Still, if Edwards does nothing for six weeks, then there’s no reason to double him eventually. The threat is important, but a threat is temporal if you can’t back it up. It’s still going to come back to Edwards’ production sooner or later.
As Coach Ryan pointed out the other day, once teams DO try to single him, that’s the Jets can take advantage, and when Sanchez needs to recognize and go to him. Like a power hitter in baseball and his presence and ability to make it count on one pitch per at bat, Edwards doesn’t have to go out and have 10 catches a game in this offense (though it’d be nice) every Sunday, but he does need to be ready on a play-by-play basis to break the back of the defense on that one play when things align for him.
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Brian:
That is exactly right. It is the THREAT to Bray-Bray brings that the Jets needed. Forget the dropped passes, they come with the package.
But the bottom line is that Sanchez MUST make it work, and make them respect him !!!
Yes, this is a huge help to J-Co.
I think it may be an even bigger blessing for Dustin Keller. In regular down-and-distance situations, where you aren’t obviously running or passing, and have to account for the run and pass, all of a sudden, Cotchery and Keller have become a much bigger headache.
Prior to acquiring Edwards, I’d say that the JETS’ offense was “competent” to “pretty good” in terms of looking at them through an opposing defensive coordinator’s eyes. You can basically go out and play football against them, and aside from Leon Washington, you don’t have to be too terribly afraid of any one part. Leon will make some plays if you aren’t very careful, but you won’t be totally destroyed by Cotchery and Keller being the JETS’ 2 top receiving options.
All of a sudden, there is a MASSIVE down-field threat that requires extra attention, and the same guys who previously made the JETS’ offense a “pretty good” passing threat are still out there, albeit with less ability to account for them!
In regular down and distance, with Leon in there, what exactly is another team going to do, use 5 DB’s on every play? In a man scheme, you’ve got CB + Safety help on Braylon, CB on Cotchery, LB or Safety on Keller, and LB or Safety on Leon.
I love this trade!!!
That one big play will keep the Threat alive and that is all we need.
uhh…what smizzle said.
That is all well and good and was obvious from the beggining and I hate to be a downer guys, but………..it all goes back to Franchez. There is even more pressure for this kid now and I’m still not sure he can handle it……sorry.
You’re not sure if a rookie QB can handle a 6′3, 220 reciever with 4.40 speed?
That sounds like a pressure *release* to me.
Actually, things just got a lot easier for the Sanchise. Before, he was saddled with WRs who couldn’t create separation and defenses were taking away his safety valve, Keller. Now, he has a 6-3 monster who creates separation with his size and speed. Also, Sanchise needs a robust running game, well 8-9 men in the box with Braylon on the outside just became very risky for NFL defenses because Sanchise moves around in the pocket as good as any NFL QB and can throw on the run with authority. Last thing you want to do is let a team with a killer defense get a quick early lead. The Sanchise’s family may be practicing Santeria because no rookie QB, even Marino, Ryan and Big Ben, has been handed as complete a team as Sanchise now has. I usually hate the old cliches about game managing or “staying within yourself” but all Mark has to do is run the offense, he doesn’t have to put the team on his back to win. And, running the Jets’ base offense just got a lot easier.
Sanchez could start with not waving the ball around in one hand as he dives head first into a defender’s knees after telegraphing the play by shouting it to the defensive line. That ought to do it.
Hank- Let’s be honest, you don’t “hate to be a downer”, being a downer is all you know.
spentmiles- He IS a rookie after all, what are you expecting? Perfection? Give us all a break.
SD99 and Jameson have it right. This is so exciting, I can’t wait till Monday. I was not for this trade at the begining of the season, but since it has happened and the way it has happened, I am optimistic that positive results are coming.
I think I understand Hank. He and many others, including myself, are suffering from the psychological syndrom—Jetsusdissapointus. I have had it since 1969 when I contracted it in the far east missing our only SB win. It is chronic and even my anti-depressants don’t do a thing for it. The major sympton is in an inability to feel good about the Jets. We are always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Last year was a prime example—-I was down right gleefull but in the back of my mind the constant thought was present “what about December”. Then the disease was once again reinforced by December.
But that has all changed. I have drunk the Green Kool-Aid. I believe in Rex. We may not make the SB this year but in my heart I know we are becoming a different Jet organization. I know with time Hank will also be enlightened—-Drink the Green Kool-Aid Hank, the skies will clear, you’ll hear birds singing again and you will rest comfortably on Sunday night (or Monday night on occasion.
Can the Fish.
SD:
What you have said is all true and has been said, many, many times before. But, there is one aspect that you failed(conveniently?) to mention.
Bray-Bray does not run a complete pattern, he always alters it, shortens it or takes short-cuts. Never the same axact pattern twice!. This is why he is known for his acrobatic carches. And if you look at his history, most every catch is either a highlight or a dumb “drop”
This is why I said two things: 1) I think Eller can and will help him with this and minimize his drops and 2) this put alot more pressure on Fanchez NOT, as you say, help him.
Why you ask? Because Franchez must now try to (control) discipline his receiver on the field AND try to anticipate Braylons routes while having more patience with this guy.
These are two factors that are VERY, VERY difficult for a rookie QB and specially for Franchez that has Zero patience in the pocket now.
IMHO I don’t think the drops are as big of an issue as some make it out to be. Have you ever had a job that you just hated to go to. In the morning you woke up, dragged yourself out of bed, and just “wnet through the motions”? While you did what you had to do to get paid, you probably didn’t excell. I know I have been in that position and in all honesty I did just enough to get by. Until, I got a change of scenery and a job I enjoyed then I excelled. Bra was coming from a situation that was horrible for him, if nothing else in his mind. I’m not making excuses for him…he is a professional and gets paid good money to play this game no matter what situation he is in, but just think how much better he could be if he is motivated and really enjoys what he is doing. I’m not saying he is going to be the next Jerry Rice (but that would be nice as long as he is wearing green and white) but I think before we kill the guy about drops, lets see how he reacts to the change. Lets enjoy the difference he makes just being here and the problem he creates for defences. I just can’t imagine teams continuing to stack the box while you an edwards/cotch/keller/and leoan out of the backfiled all on the line at the same time. I can’t wait to see what happens on Monday!!!! SQUISH THE FISH!!!!!!!!
leon
hank/naples,
So, you’re saying that in 2007, Derek Anderson, who was a 2nd year player coming in as a 6th rounder the year before from a mediocre Pac 10 program at Oregon State, and was not even the opening day starter (so he likely didn’t have that many 1st team reps in training camp) was able to control Braylon enough so Edwards had a Pro Bowl campaign of nearly 1,300 yards receiving and a whopping 16 TDs?
Sorry, your whole theory defies logic. Anderson’s generally not considered to be a great QB at reading defenses or a master of putting touch on the ball like Big Ben, Peyton or Marino. In fact, his accuracy issues and lack of good touch on his intermediate throws has been well-documented and was one of the reasons Brady Quinn initially won the job. And, I saw Braylon run complete patterns last year against the Giants on MNF, when he torched their secondary with 5-154 and a TD. That performance, in my opinion, says a lot about Braylon. Give him the spotlight and the diva performs. Well, he has the spotlight now.
NamVet:
Your comments made my day. Great, great post. Loved the name of our disease, you should patent it. It is prevelant and insidious and silent and we all have it.
I’m glad you brought up ‘69 because I still remeber that as one of my most glorious days in my life !!!
Regarding the green koolaide, the only way it would work for me now is if it had 75% scotch in it. reason being is that I am still nervous about about the other shoe to dropping and it belongs to the QB.
SD:
Can,t you see that you’re half making my point when you say that DA’s accuracy is very deficcient and was always grateful to Edwards for his acrobatic catches. They were a perfect match, made for each other, and he is now crushed. Braylons speed, acrobatics + Da’s canon = 16 TD’s
Answer a question: If Braylon is the great WR that runs precise pattern, then why are MOST of his catches acrobatic?
This reminds me of a great line by DJ Gallo, which went something like:
“The Browns receivers are poor route runners, but luckily Derek Anderson is not very accurate so this should lead to many fortuitous completions”
Seriously, we need to do all we can to make the moniker “Hyena” stick with Edwards as long as he is here. Those KSK pieces make my ****ing day.
i just hope that schotty throws out of power I formations, and not shotgun empty. if edwards is going to loosen up the run game, then it would make sense to stick with run formations and throw from there. too many times scotty uses the shotgun empty formation – which completely takes away the threat of a run. i can see doing this on 3rd and 10, but any other down and distance, we should not be in shotgun empty
Bent:
Again (most of the time) you have the nack for saying the appropiate thing, in a nut shell.
Bent – LOL!! You made me laugh with that one!
hank/naples,
Huh? You keep on shifting your argument. Before you said that Braylon will challenge Sanchez because “Franchez must now try to (control) discipline his receiver on the field AND try to anticipate Braylons routes while having more patience with this guy.” But, it sounds like Sanchez doesn’t have to worry because all Anderson did was sling it in Braylon’s vicinity and he ended up with 16 TDs. If I’m Sanchez, I just look for the tall guy in the white or green jersey and just play pitch and catch. Can’t get much easier than that…know what I mean, Vern?
Gotta agree with Sack here. Hank, youre posts are a little contradicting and, as usual, extremely negative. Its only logical to assume that Edwards size alone will be a gift for Sanchez. Remember Eli’s first few years with Plax? Just toss it up near him and he’ll go get it.
Bent, that was a great quote, had me laughing out loud.
Hey Jesus:
You are back !!!
Thank God!!Know what, Do you really think that Manginin will give the Jets a “GIFT”?
Guys:
I would be very carefull of all Manginis gifts !!
Guys:
Did you did you nhear that SD:
I would be very carefull of all Mangini’s gifts !!
SD:
Cutting to the chaze, Bray-Bray catches maybe two passes, for maybe 20 yds monday nite. What do you think??