Why Trading Braylon Edwards to the Jets Is a Smart Move by Eric Mangini

Any normal person who is not a big NFL football fan might think that Eric Mangini still worked for the New York Jets in some capacity, but the reality is that he does not. He is the Cleveland Browns head coach and is not secretly working for two NFL teams.

In the latest Browns news, wide receiver Braylon Edwards has been traded to the Jets for receiver Chansi Stuckey, linebacker and special teams player Jason Trusnik, and two undisclosed draft picks; they might be conditional picks that will be based on Edwards' performance this season, but that has not been confirmed yet.

Added 10/7/09 at 11:36 PM: It looks like the two draft picks are a 3rd and 5th according to various New York sources.

What is it with Mangini and the Jets?

The Jets fired Mangini in January, but with the amount of interaction that has gone on between them, there are obviously no hard feelings at all.

It is quite apparent that Mangini really likes many of his former players, and he has been collecting as many as possible.

Starting back in February, during the free agency period, Mangini grabbed up as many former Jets players that were released as possible, including players DL C.J. Mosley, LB Eric Barton, CB Hank Poteat, and LB David Bowens.

Then during this past April's NFL Draft, Mangini secured a deal with the Jets to send the rights of the No. 5 overall pick (which the Jets picked QB Mark Sanchez with) to them for QB Brett Ratliff, S Abe Elam, DE Kenyon Coleman, and their first two picks.

Now Mangini has gone back to his former club, but this time it may be the smartest move of all, because even though the Jets get the No. 1 receiver they have needed for their young quarterback Sanchez, Edwards may not play for a week or two because he has to learn a brand new playbook and offensive system.

As of right now Mangini won with this trade since Stuckey, who was the Jets' No. 2 starting receiver, now gets placed into an offensive system and a playbook that he is already familiar with and is able to contribute as early as this Sunday when the Browns go to Buffalo to take on the Bills.

Stuckey may not be a starter immediately, but he will be able to play.

Look for the Browns to probably start Mohamed Massaquoi (who started versus the Bengals) and either Josh Cribbs or Mike Furrey this Sunday.

A smart move by Mangini right now? Definitely.

A smart move by Mangini in the long term? Yes, because the Browns do not have to deal with Edwards' diva attitude.

A smart move for the Browns' future? Only time will tell based on if Edwards has success in New York and depending on who the Browns pick with those two undisclosed draft picks.

In closing, one final question.

Will the Jets be willing to sign Edwards at the end of the year to a new contract for big money?

That's the one thing this journalist will watch very closely at the end of the season.

(Article originally posted on Dawg Scooper.)