It seems like there's been talk about the Giants trading for Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards since the moment that Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg, but nothing has come to fruition. Now, with the draft a little more than 48 hours away, reports indicate that the trade is dead and the Giants are moving on with other plans.
According to Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News, the sticking point is the Giants' refusal to give up their first-round pick and the Browns' refusal to accept anything less. Per Vacchiano, the Giants will now look to draft a receiver with the 29th overall selection, or package that pick with others to move up in the first round.
You have to take everything with an enormous grain of salt in the days leading up to the draft, but, if true, you have to question the wisdom of G.M. Jerry Reese's plan to fill the void in the Giants passing game. Wide receiver is the only glaring need on a very good team, and Edwards will do more to help the Giants than any player they can draft with the 29th pick or the 19th pick, for that matter.
With a team built like the Giants, it makes much more sense to go for the sure thing than it does to cross your fingers and hope that Hakeem Nicks or Kenny Britt becomes a weapon that makes defenses take notice. Reese's disinclination to overpay for Edwards is understandable, but he won't be overpaying if Edwards fills a Burress-like role in the offense. If he doesn't believe it, he should just pop a copy of last year's playoff loss to the Eagles into the DVD player and remind himself.
We'll see how it plays out from here, because there's not much reason to believe that the Giants are actually done talking to the Browns about Edwards.
Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.
