Will The Real Braylon Edwards Please Stand Up?

At this point in the Cleveland Browns' "Season of Dreams," the hot topic among fans is just what exactly the most disappointing aspect of our team is.

Some may say it was Derek Anderson's not-so-subtle attempts to make the team regret giving him a contract extension. Others may claim watching every sideline shot of Romeo Crennel looking less like he's coaching and more like he's trying to solve the Da Vinci Code is what has them struggling to keep their food down.

But, gun to my head, I'd have to say the significant downgrade of receiver Braylon Edwards is No. 1 on my Letterman's Top Ten list. 

So far, Edwards leads the NFL in dropped passes, has been anything but clutch, and seems way too easily rattled by the slightest mistake.

This would be a letdown for any receiver at any level of the game.  However, the glare is bigger for Edwards after the season he put up last year.

Last season, as the Browns shocked the world with ten more wins than anyone thought they could get, Edwards lead the way with 1,289 receiving yards and a team record 16 touchdown catches. Many believed 2007 was the coming out party for No. 17.

I'm willing to bet the majority of those people are scratching their heads as much as I am these days when looking at Edwards' stat sheet.

This year, Braylon has looked less like he did last season and more like Dennis Northcutt.  And many people are starting to wonder just what happened.

This can't be the same receiver that broke Gary Collins' franchise touchdown record in almost routine fashion last year. And it can't be the same Braylon Edwards who, throughout 2007, would dive for (and usually catch) any ball within 20 yards, in good weather and in a blizzard.

So, what happened? 

Is Braylon bipolar?  No, but evidence is certainly piling up on that case if we're basing it on how the Browns perform as a whole.

In 2006, the Browns finished 4-12 and Edwards finished with 61 receptions for 884 yards and six touchdowns.  He was also famous for making quite a few sideline displays, rarely running routes through the middle of the field, and showing up late for a team meeting after going to the Ohio State-Michigan game in a helicopter.

While that Braylon reeked of immaturity, last year's Braylon played as if it were his last season.  He was one of the key members of a team that surprised the league with a 10-6 record thanks to the aforementioned stats.  He also donated $1 million to local schools and paid for the funeral of a sick child he had met just once before.

One season later, Edwards is the poster child for Yahoo! fantasy football and spends time peddling out 5-Hour Energy shots.  His crucial drops cost the team touchdowns and were eventually one of the reasons Derek Anderson is riding pine these days.

So I ask again, what happened?

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