Braylon Edwards could not really return to the Jets with Plaxico Burress coming on board and the prospect of Derrick Mason coming over. So, he had to head out into a market for receivers that was not very forgiving and find work anywhere he could.
Well, he landed in San Francisco with a new one-year, $3.5 million deal. There were a lot of one-year deals handed out, and Edwards was just one of many players who sort of had to settle for less in this odd free agent market. Going to San Francisco, however, could be a good thing for him.
Let’s talk through the following scenario that I believe would greatly benefit Edwards and make the 49ers MUCH better practically overnight.
Edwards goes to San Fran. Alex Smith starts the season, Edwards makes a couple fantastic catches, and that’s the end of it.
Next.
Alex Smith isn’t really working up to expectations, Jim Harbaugh decides he’s ready to go with “his guy” in Colin Kaepernick, and Kaepernick is starting.
Kaepernick plays pretty well, and he finds a favorite target in Edwards. Now, Edwards has the ball coming his way a lot, and Kaepernick has a very comfortable deep threat. Braylon Edwards is not THAT old, people. He could, potentially, be the number one option in San Fran and make his career into something completely fresh and new.
Now that he is there, it’s all about seeing how long Alex Smith lasts. He’s a good talent, but he just doesn’t translate well in the NFL. It’s a shame, but it’s the truth.
Colin Kaepernick is the better option in the long term for the 49ers, and at some point, Alex Smith has got to go. I don’t mind Harbaugh giving him a chance, but I want to see that chance end soon so that we can have a light at the end of the tunnel.
