Lost in the news of this trade is how this Browns season has disintegrated. Already.
Think about this: Fans are actually celebrating the fact that the Browns played close against Cincinnati at home.
Edwards, theoretically, was the best player on the offense. No, he hadn't played like it. Far from it, in fact, but the potential remained. All the talk after the overtime loss to Cincinnati was that Mohammed Massaquoi had a big game because he took advantage of the Bengals rolling double coverage to Edwards.
Then came the punch.
With that, Edwards was traded for some equipment bags and deflated footballs.
Someone smirked to me in the press box — well, he didn't smirk … he's a longtime and loyal Browns guy so he was pretty disappointed — that the Browns will be eliminated from doing anything meaningful this season by Halloween.
He's right.
Except it may happen even sooner.
Now … some have opined — mainly in The Orange and Brown report – that last weeks' loss was positively significant and that it will help bring the team together. Part of the thinking was that the team knew a change was needed at quarterback, and when Eric Mangini made the move it told the players he was not afraid to make needed changes.
It could well be that the trade of Edwards is viewed the same way.
Time will tell.
I'm just not expecting a lot.
last week's loss was devastating. why? because for the first time all year the players put in a winning effort…..and the coaches let them down. the conservative playcalling, the 2 man rush against palmer on 4th down, mangini's foolish strategy to give up with 13 seconds left in the 4th instead of trying for a quick out pattern and a better look for an fg.
the players quit on mangini and then mangini quit on the players. a quarter of the way into the season and it's already over.
there is no hell in the afterlife. it's right here and now and the devil's name is "eric".