Edwards signs contract, expects to catch up quickly

Updated: August 11, 2005, 8:44 PM ET
Associated Press

BEREA, Ohio -- Rookie wide receiver Braylon Edwards climbed two steps to the podium at Cleveland Browns headquarters and let out a deep sigh.

He looked relieved after a nearly two-week holdout and two days of tense negotiations.

"We're glad it's over with and there's no bad blood," he said.

Edwards, the third overall pick, signed a five-year, $40 million contract with nearly $20 million in guaranteed money Thursday evening, about 24 hours after it looked like he would leave town without a deal.

He was expected to practice with the team Thursday, but his agent, Lamont Smith, left town Wednesday night, thinking a deal wouldn't be reached. Smith's flight was postponed by weather in Chicago on Thursday, delaying the signing of the contract and causing Edwards to miss his 14th day of training camp.

Edwards said he would have liked to get a practice in but feels he has a grasp of Cleveland's offense after attending passing camp in June.

"When you've played football all your life, football is football," he said.

Edwards has been staying in shape by working out with his father, Stan, a track coach, and said he'll probably be a bit winded his first time in pads.

He'll find out about his stamina level right away. Coach Romeo Crennel planned to put Edwards through a conditioning test of 300-yard shuttle runs Thursday night.

"I'm on such an emotional high ... my adrenaline alone will carry me through it," Edwards said.

It appeared Edwards would sign his deal Wednesday, but he and his family drove away from Browns headquarters along with Smith in a three-car caravan without finishing the deal.

Smith and the Browns had exchanged as many as seven proposals, struggling to find common ground on the contract's length, maximum value and guaranteed money.

Browns president John Collins said talks broke down Wednesday over marketing language in Edwards' contract. Without getting into specifics, Collins said the language was changed.

"We probably had it worked out in 10 minutes," Collins said. "It wasn't really a big deal."

Because Collins was in Chicago with Browns owner Randy Lerner at an NFL owner's meeting Wednesday, they didn't reach Smith by phone until after he left Cleveland. Edwards had stayed around because he didn't want to leave without a deal.

Edwards sounded eager to get ready for the season. He'll spend Friday, an off day, watching film, attending meetings and working with the team's strength and conditioning coach.

Edwards said he'd love to play in Cleveland's first preseason game against the New York Giants on Saturday night, but understands if he's held back.

Coach Romeo Crennel said it's unlikely Edwards will play. Crennel hasn't been overly concerned with Edwards' holdout, saying he's got a solid group of wide receivers.

Crennel thinks it could take Edwards a year to get acclimated because he missed so much camp.

Edwards, though, says he's stayed up to date on the offense through evening phone calls from rookie quarterback Charlie Frye.

"He helped me understand where they were at in terms of the progression of the offense," Edwards said. "If they had new plays, Charlie called me to tell me what plays they went over."

Edwards has also been doing what fans do, following team news on the Internet and in the newspapers. He has been impressed by wide receiver Antonio Bryant's performance in training camp.

"I'm glad somebody's stepping up to the forefront because when I get in here, it will make it that much easier to learn from this guy," he said.


Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index

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