Edwards is a good guy... model professional? No, but still he's made 1 mistake and everyone here is bashing him. Stupid? Yes, but no criminal... He hurt is value because in the NFL your image means a lot, but he didn't just hurt it with the Jets... he damaged it with every team... and this means no one will throw big bucks at him next year. I hope that means he resigns with us for a reasonable deal... I still haven't given up hopes of having Edwards and Holmes both here in 2011.
Remember, if he's your teammate, and probably your friend, you trust the guy. They'd all been drinking, Braylon tells them he's ok to drive. They probably asked a 2nd time and he assured them he was fine. It's not their fault. He may have even thought he was fine. I don't know about you, but the limit of .08 comes with 2 glasses of wine or 2 beers. I don't know ANYONE who hasn't driven after a couple beers watching a game, or 2 glasses of wine at dinner. I'm not talking about boozin' with the boys and then getting behind the wheel. I'm talking about a couple of drinks. Booze has the habit of making us feel more confident about how sober we are...especially in a certain range of drunkenness (right about where he was, too much to drive, but not too much to be acting and looking impaired.) I was there MANY times through out my 20's. I won't do it anymore, but at the time it never seemed like it was that bad. I'm in no way condoning what he did, or condoning anyone I know that has driven at, around, or over the legal limit, I'm just saying that everyone here acting like he's SATAN for doing it is over-reacting.
I don't buy the Prohibitionistic MADD-crazy lobbying notion that anyone and everyone who drives over the limit is an alcoholic. He can, however, be much more careful about combining the two, to say the least. But the current limit of .08 is so low, unreasonably so imo. I know you are a moral absolutist on this issue. I just think continuing to lower the legal limit has gotten us into a diminishing returns situation, where the costs of enforcing the new limit is more than the benefit. The fact of the matter is that a person driving at .08 is much less likely to have an accident than .20 or higher, obviously. But all that is about a national issue which we clearly disagree about. I just am pointing out you have no basis for equating getting a DUI with being an alcoholic.
As far as the OP's question, I think this arrest will hurt Edwards's value, but not as much as many are predicting. Whether he stays clean the rest of the year will go far in determining how much, and I mean generally clear. No more on field or off field problems, and the effect on him is marginal, imo. As a practical matter, I think it is too soon to say whether the Jets as an organization will or will not want him back. Too many variables at this point.
If Edwards has a primo year on the field, he will be back. Why wouldn't he be? We will get him at a reduced rate and hopefully he will not find himself in any more trouble.
I didn't think the Jets would keep both Braylon and Santonio BEFORE this happened, and figured Braylon would be the one to go anyway. This seals the deal. Braylon's gone. The Jets can not let him think that though, so we'll hear that it is not the case while the season is going along. The Jets plan was probably to keep one all along, basing the decision on performance and character, given the history of both. Santonio has the advantage now for sure. I'm not going to hang the guy for a DUI when hundreds of fans leaving the game Sunday would have blown a .16 too. BUT, he's on probation, so it's just plain dumb. If you were an athlete making decent bucks why not hire someone to drive you around when you go out? It's asinine. Hell, even if it is a friend who's partying too, why risk the arrest? Let someone else get the DUI. Let them drive if you're willing to risk being in a car like that. Irresponsible? Of course, but also just plain stupid.
holmes is a piss test away from being kicked out of football for a whole season. ppl talk like hes not a tremendous pothead. edwards has 1 behavior strike and his 1st substance offense to holmes 3 or 4. theres no safe bet with either one. ppl think its a no brainer. theyre wrong
Let's also remember this year we have to re-sign: Harris Cromartie S. Ellis B. Smith E. Smith B. Pool S. Weatherford (great season so far) N. Folk (great season so far) W. Hunter (good back-up at OT) maaaybe Pouha (under contract 'till 2012) maaaybe B. Thomas (under contract 'till 2012) + those two WRs... That's quite a bit of work for Tanny&co. My prediction is we re-sign all those guys (minus BT and SP who'll play on their current contract), re-sig one WR and tag-and-trade the other one for at least a 2nd. That's my dream scenario. What sucks is this year's draft seems to be loaded at WR.
We know nothing about Holmes yet, or whether he and Sanchez will have great chemistry. For all we know Braylon will be our best option for next season. Let's wait and see.
The Kris jenkins injury and likely retirement will free up money to sign the above mentioned guys. Keep pouha on his current deal and pay harris, whichever wr or wrs, brad smith and company Edit: that's actually might go towards cro first. I don't think w Jenkins we would have been able to retain cro
If the jets win the next 2 games, no one will be talking about it. If we lose, you'll hear this bs from the media being thrown in our faces
In no way do I condone his dwi. Absolute poor judgement. But I think this helps the Jets here. They can prob get him back on the cheap now for two more years. Talent wins in this league, not character. Look at the 86 Mets (I am not comparing us to them). They had all sorts of issues but when they got on the field, they kicked ass. We need the most talent on the field to win a championship and I am ok with that. Even if it means having players w/ character issues.
Edwards needs to grow up. He has potential, but he needs an attitude adjustment. If his attitude doesn't change dramatically by the end of the season, the Jets should unload him.
Looked like they enjoyed working with eachother on Hard Knocks, FWIW. They'll have chemistry. I like Peter King's take on the situation with braylon/holmes http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/09/21/Week2/index.html • Re: Edwards' morning DUI, in which he tested at twice the legal limit: In 48 hours, he's shown why the Jets, barring a complete personality turnaround, won't pursue a long-term deal with him after the season. His immature taunting (once called, another one should have been called) against New England Sunday was reckless and cost the Jets 15 yards. Then his DWI was the second embarrassing off-field incident he's had in the past year. I see the Jets going after Santonio Holmes, who is a better player, if Holmes stays on the straight and narrow the rest of this season after his four-game suspension for violating the league's drug policy. Why Holmes and not Edwards when both seem to be problem children? Because the Jets think Holmes is better, and they think he's been scared straight by this suspension.
He's going to end up having a Hall of Fame season the rest of the way... and the Raiders will overspend x10 for him to lead their "We're badder and meaner than the Jets because...we wear black!" campaign. He'll fizzle out after a couple of seasons post-2011 lockout, and end up playing games against us in the AFC East on the downside of his career which will give CBS/NFL films plenty of fodder for montages leading up to each game. (And for all of the Holmes-loving/long-term contract talk without a single reception from the guy yet...I'm not convinced he WON'T screw up again himself. Are you? Really?)
