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New York Jets' Braylon Edwards says he's ready to 'handle business' in Sunday's return to Cleveland to play Browns

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The former Browns receiver knows what's awaiting him in his first visit to Cleveland since being traded to the Jets. Boos, boos and more boos.

edwards-jets-bench-horiz-mct.jpgView full size"For the people that don't like me, I share the same feeling," Braylon Edwards told the media Wednesday when asked about playing the Browns and facing the Cleveland fans. "I don't like them as well. I could give you a B.S. answer, but the short and skinny of it is that I'm going back there to handle business."

BEREA, Ohio -- The man who knows all the wrong buttons to push with Browns fans has done it again.

As the practice week intensified in advance of his first visit to Cleveland in a New York Jets uniform, Braylon Edwards stirred up the embers again.

First there was this message he Tweeted on the flight home Sunday following the Jets' 23-20 overtime victory in Detroit: "And before I take off and forget, all you Cleveland Browns fans, 17 is coming back and you better bring ya damn popcorn."

Two days later, Edwards expounded on returning to play in the city that he always felt held it against him for being from Michigan. He was traded on Oct. 7, 2009 -- two days after punching a friend of LeBron James outside a downtown nightclub.

"I remember the comments," Edwards said to Bob Glauber of Newsday. "I remember the writers, I remember the fans, I remember the coaches, I remember the people in the organization. I remember everything and everybody there that had something to say when 17 exited the doors.

"For the people that don't like me, I share the same feeling. I don't like them as well. I could give you a B.S. answer, but the short and skinny of it is that I'm going back there to handle business.

"I left there with a bitter taste in my mouth, and I'm going back there for some satisfaction. They can see it for how they want it. They can read it for how they want it. Just know that 17's coming to work when we play next week."

On Wednesday, Edwards spoke to New York media first after Jets practice. He termed his return "a personal war," and said when he learned he was traded to the Jets, "I couldn't get out of Berea fast enough. I couldn't show how excited I was at the time. I thought it would be unprofessional to do a dance."

In his chat with Cleveland media via conference call, Edwards softened his words. He said that he never publicly stated a desire to leave and that his reaction was based on the fact the Browns didn't want him anymore.

"If that was the feeling, then my feeling was I didn't want to be there either," he said.

Edwards caught 238 passes in 62 games for the Browns and scored 28 touchdowns. In 2007, he produced the greatest statistical season ever for a Browns receiver -- 80 catches for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns. He was voted to the AFC Pro Bowl team.

That was as good as it got for the No. 3 overall pick of the 2005 draft.

edwards-adams-practice-square-jk.jpgView full sizeTo the suggestion from former teammate Mike Adams (chest-bumping Edwards after a practice TD in 2009) that Edwards lost focus after his 2007 Pro Bowl season, Edwards responded "Mike Adams and I have never been close. I don't know Mike Adams outside of football. He doesn't know me. I don't think that's a fair assessment. I can't control his opinion, but I don't agree with him."

Edwards ruined most of his 2008 training camp when his foot was gashed in a horseplay incident with teammate Donte Stallworth. The season descended into a horror flick for everyone on the team. There were injuries to him and the quarterbacks and there were plenty of dropped passes.

In 2009 came the culture change to Eric Mangini -- perhaps Edwards' first coach to hold him accountable -- more drops, and finally his unceremonious exit. He did not catch a pass in his last game for the Browns.

"I just thought he lost focus at a certain point," said Browns safety Mike Adams. "Once he came off the Pro Bowl year, he was everywhere and his focus on football wasn't complete. That's him. I used to talk to him here, say, 'PB, PB, Pro Bowl. Get back to that Pro Bowl year.' I used to encourage him.

"I know a lot of people were down on him, whatever, but he'd do a lot of great things in the community and I honestly thought he was a good person, once he started focusing."

Edwards disagreed with Adams' assessment and cited the numerous injuries and quarterback troubles for things going south in 2008.

"Mike Adams and I have never been close," he said. "I don't know Mike Adams outside of football. He doesn't know me. I don't think that's a fair assessment. I can't control his opinion, but I don't agree with him."

On the conference call, Edwards wouldn't back down from comments he made in September dissing Cleveland or his time-worn lament that he never had a chance to be accepted in Ohio State country because he came from Michigan.

He doesn't care if he has stirred up the city for a hostile reception when he returns on Sunday.

"I expected that anyway," he said. "I don't know if I'm setting myself up. If I am, then I am. I played in Cleveland. I know how it is when the opposition comes to town. Cleveland Browns fans do a good job of being loud and heckling the other team. So I expected that anyway."

Adams made a prediction.

"I expect him to refocus, and I expect him to come in here and want the ball 10, 11 times," he said. "I expect him to try to go deep every chance he gets, and to use double moves. Soon as he makes his first catch, I expect him to get booed.

"After he gets booed, he's going to get up and he's going to start jawing. I predict that. He's going to start talking smack."

 


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