What do you do when one of your wide receivers gets arrested for DUI but is coming off a huge week against a division rival? You can’t bench him, of course. He’s too important to the team’s success. You can’t make an example out of someone who helps you win. If the player isn’t critical to the success of your offense and, more specifically, youngster quarterback, by all means bench him for an entire game.
Do we really think that’s the way a team should go about it’s business? Obviously not. But larrybrownsports.com has learned that Braylon Edwards will not start against the Dolphins on Sunday. However, the wide receiver will play. Huge difference in football, isn’t it? We didn’t think so, either.
We aren’t talking about a starting pitcher who is being forced to skip a start as a means of disciplinary action. This is football. Personnel packages change on every play. Rex Ryan could leave Edwards on the sideline for the Jets’ first offensive play of the day and send him in for the second. He’d still be staying true to his word of not “starting” him.
It would be one thing if Edwards were claiming he’d been wrongly accused or arrested for no reason, but there’s really no one that’s disputing the claim that he was driving drunk. I understand the CBA protects players against teams deactivating or not playing them when the NFL hasn’t punished the player, but the Jets should take the risk and make a statement.
The team recently came up with the Player Protection Program, which offers safe rides to players who have been drinking. Edwards chose to instead drive his car while twice the legal limit. He slapped the Jets and the program in the face by not bothering to take the right precautionary measures. They should give him a slap back by not letting him touch the field on Sunday.
