NFL Free Agency: Braylon Edwards May Be a Target of the New England Patriots

Wouldn't this be something? Braylon Edwards going to the New England Patriots would simply add fuel to an already burning fire between the two rivals, the Patriots and the New York Jets.

Edwards, who's arguably the top wide receiver free agent available, could possibly find himself as a New England Patriot if Bill Belichick decides to roll the dice on the troubled 28-year-old.

For starters, New England's receiving corps seems pretty loaded with Wes Welker, Chad Ochocinco, Deion Branch, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. However, Edwards could add more insurance and stability to the group, especially for the injury-prone Branch, who has only played a full NFL season once in his 10-year career, back in 2005.

WEEI's Chris Price states in his latest piece that Edwards could be one of three possible free agents that New England could be targeting.

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"Boy, wouldn’t this make an already interesting preseason even more exciting? Edwards has spent most of the last two seasons with the Jets, and was a thorn in the Patriots’ side last season (In all, Edwards has 326 receptions for 5,142 yards and 39 touchdowns in his seven-year career, and in two seasons with New York, he had 88 catches for 1,445 yards and 11 touchdowns)."

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Despite Edwards' big-time production and talent, he comes with some serious baggage. Not only has Edwards been inconsistent, as he tends to drop several "easy" balls a year, he has also made many encounters with the law. 

Edwards was recently involved in a DUI incident last fall, and most recently was involved in a brawl at a Birmingham restaurant on Monday night. 

If you ignore Edwards' run-ins with the law and his head-scratching dropped passes, he's an extremely productive player. 

The 6'3" wide receiver could be a gem in New England's pass-first offense, as he'd likely line up opposite of Ochocinco and Welker. Hernandez could fill in the slots in between while Branch is added into the mix as well. 

New England's offense is already projected to be dominant, but could be even more so with the possible addition of Edwards—but only if Edwards stays focused on and off the field. 

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