10/07 — At 1:51 p.m., a slim, tall gentleman in a nicely tailored charcoal suit and a tasteful shoulder bag walked through the players' entrance at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center and toward the locker room.

Braylon Edwards had arrived just in time to drop in on the Jets' annual team photo.

Edwards worked his way through the glad-handers who are his new teammates, following this morning's trade with Cleveland for the top wide receiver. He said hello to his new receiving partners, gave a hug to former Michigan teammate David Harris, and quickly got to changing in front of his new locker, with EDWARDS 17 over the locker already having replaced STUCKEY 83

Shortly after 2 p.m., the fifth-year wideout was ready to climb onto the instant bleachers assembled half a turf field away from the building just for this occasion. But first Edwards chatted with his new quarterback, Mark Sanchez., then made some small talk with owner Woody Johnson, who helped bring him here from the Browns.

"I put on this green jersey and it felt a little strange," he told his new boss with a smile. Green, of course, is the color of the Michigan State Spartans, archrivals of those Michigan Wolverines.

Pleasantries done, the team's banter and byplay quieted for just a minute as the cameras clicked and the strobes flashed. No. 17 sat in the front row, in between No. 16, fellow Jets wideout Brad Smith, and No. 20, running back Thomas Jones.

Braylon Edwards has already blended into this new team of his.

That's one of the ideas of bringing him aboard, said head coach Rex Ryan at this afternoon's news conference, slightly delayed from the team photo period.

"I think Braylon's going to be part of this football team," Ryan said of how the new guy fits in. "He doesn't have to be somebody he's not. He can just come in, relax, play the game, enjoy his teammates and be part of something that we think has a chance to be special. I think he's going to fit right in with our group. We have a lot of veteran leadership on our team. I think he's going to enjoy the atmosphere here. Our players and our coaches enjoy coming to work every day, and I don't think he's going to be any different."

All that is true, and yet as Ryan mentioned a few times, the beguiling thing about Edwards is his rare talent, which Ryan had to defend against six times as Baltimore's defensive coordinator when the Ravens played the Browns from 2006-08. (Edwards didn't play against Baltimore in his rookie season of 2005.)

"I had to defend against him twice a year in Batlimore and that's not fun," Rex said. "He had some of his biggest games against us in Baltimore. He was a matchup nightmare. You almost have to roll your coverage to him — he's that kind of talent. I thought at the end of the day, when you can put him and Jerricho [Cotchery] out there on the outside, it should open up our running game and open things up for Dustin [Keller] as well."

In games vs. the Jets in 2006 and '07, Edwards totaled five catches for 84 yards and a touchdown. But in the six games vs. the Ravens, his dangerousness came out. He averaged 4.7 catches and 79.8 yards per game, 17.1 yards per catch, four touchdowns total.

Here are Edwards' receiving numbers vs. Ryan's Ravens defense (home team in CAPS):

As far as the price the Jets paid in trading away WR Chansi Stuckey and LB Jason Trusnik, Ryan responded as GM Mike Tannenbaum did earlier in the day: "Jason Trusnik, I think, has a chance to go to the Pro Bowl as a special teams player. We know Stuckey is an excellent receiver. We just thought Braylon, when you combine him w Cotchery, I really think that's going to open things up on the inside. And if you dont respect him, this guy can make you pay."

As far as Edwards' off-field issues, Ryan responded again as Mike T did: "I feel good about our process. Anytime we add a player to our football team, we've done an extensive background check. We're comfortable with the player on the field and off the field."

And as for when No. 17 will take the field, the coach didn't hesitate. Edwards will be practicing Thursday and the plan is to start him against the Dolphins on Monday night.

Ready to roll vs. Miami? "Yeah, he'd better be," Rex said. "Here we go. Yup, he's going to be out there one way or the other."

Wednesday Notes

Ryan said CB Lito Sheppard (quad) practiced today. Nothing to report on CB Donald Strickland (ankle) or T Damien Woody (ankle). ... The team photo was ready to be snapped but Bart Scott was spotted wearing a red sparring glove on his right hand, which stood out in the sea of green and white. Scott turned the glove over to Bruce Speight, senior director of media relations, and the shooting continued. "You've got to dare to be different sometimes," Scott told Woody Johnson afterward. ... A total of 115 Jets filled the temporary stands — 62 players, 53 coaches, front-office members and support staff.