Edwards back in NJ for a fund raiser

[visajets]

Braylon Edwards returns to New Jersey for fundraiser, still hopeful of future with Jets

Published: Sunday, May 22, 2011, 12:05 PM Updated: Sunday, May 22, 2011, 12:22 PM

By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger

On a chilly and foggy morning, Braylon Edwards arrived at Six Flags Great Adventure. The free-agent receiver has already sold his condo in New Jersey, and has returned to his home state of Michigan, but came to Jackson today to lead a few hundred people in the Ronald McDonald House's statewide fundraising walk.

"I'm not (in New Jersey) at all, I'm waiting to see what happens with the lockout and everything, but we’re still up here, trying to help these kids," Edwards said before the event, joined by his parents, manager and girlfriend. "This is really about our commitment to what we start. We started a relationship with them, and just because (my time with the Jets is) on the fritz or I may not be here, we’re still committed to our relationship."

Edwards has said publicly numerous times this offseason that he would like to re-sign with the Jets, even saying recently that he would consider a discount to do so. He said his presence in New Jersey today "subliminally" underscored his commitment to staying here -- and joked that he should sneak over to general manager Mike Tannenbaum's house while in the area.

The 28-year-old recently attended Mark Sanchez's "Jets West" passing camp in California, and stayed for several days afterward to log extra time with the Jets' franchise quarterback.

"We kind of established that we really actually care for each other," Edwards said. "I was talking to Mark, trying to get some insight. 'You're the golden goose, have you talked to anybody? What's your feeling? What's your gut instinct?' He gave me what he could, saying he really wanted me back; he wanted me to keep working with him, because even if I didn’t come back, he wanted to see me be the best. Mark’s younger than I am, so for him to say that just really showed the person that he is, and the relationship that I believe we’re beginning, or that we have."

The Jets have several free agents to address along with Edwards, including receiver Santonio Holmes and cornerback Antonio Cromartie. One factor the team must consider with Edwards is his September DWI charge, which is headed for a July trial after a hearing last week.

"I'm not nervous at all," Edwards said of the trial. "Everything is in place; I believe my attorney has done a great job. I think we’re on pace for what we want, we’re not moving in the direction that they’re guiding us in. Everything is being handled extremely well by both sides, and I think we’re comfortable in the position that we’re in now."

He added, "Sticking to generalities, without getting too in detail, (going to trial) is what we want. We feel that night happened a little differently than what they say, so we’ll see what happens."

Tannenbaum declined to discuss this weekend how a pending trial could affect the team's approach with Edwards in free agency, saying only that "it's a pending legal matter, so we really can't comment on that." He had heard Edwards' comments about being willing to accept a discount, which he said is a reflection on coach Rex Ryan and owner Woody Johnson and the environment they have created in Florham Park.

Edwards said he is not worried about how his court case could affect him in free agency.

"I’m not the first person to get in trouble," he said. "At the end of the day, whether it was right or wrong, it was a mistake made, a mistake learned. I don’t think it will affect it; if it does, it does, but I'm pretty comfortable with it."

This morning, though, Edwards' focus was solely on aiding Ronald McDonald House, which provides comfortable home environments for the families of seriously ill children being treated at medical facilities. New Jersey outposts are in Long Branch and New Brunswick.

Edwards participated in a Christmas event for Ronald McDonald House in December, buying and distributing gifts for the children and their families, and he lingered well after the time for which he had committed. Like he has done with his foundation in Cleveland -- where he donated $1 million to area students for college scholarships, and will hold an event this week to celebrate several of the recipients' high school graduations -- he wants to continue giving back to the New Jersey area, whether his football future is here or not.

"In Cleveland, where I got traded, it wasn’t the best of situations, but I’m still part of the scholarship fund," said Edwards, who played four-and-a-half seasons with the Browns before his 2009 trade to the Jets. "Ronald McDonald House reached out to my mom about this walk, and we said we’d love to do it."

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