Analysis: Edwards never clicked with 49ers

Wide receiver Braylon Edwards tore cartilage in his right knee on the third play of his second regular-season game with the 49ers.And that was it. He started the first two games. He'd start twice more with the 49ers, but his season, in effect, ended that day while catching a 21-yard pass against the Dallas Cowboys at Candlestick Park.
Edwards missed four games and when he returned to the playing field, he didn't look right physically. And he didn't appear to be right mentally, either.His frustration was obvious. His production was nonexistent.Edwards had one catch for 9 yards on Saturday in the 49ers' 19-17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. The club actually expected him to have a good game as the No. 3 receiver.Edwards actually had more yards in penalties than receiving. He was flagged twice for 20 yards in penalties on second-half infractions for offensive pass interference and illegal block above the waist.There were times when Edwards showed is frustration on the field when he and quarterback Alex Smith did not hook up on passes. And that was frequent. Smith and Edwards were never fully on the same page, and Edwards' patience was running out.He wanted to be a focus of the offense. He wanted to post big numbers. But in this offense, that simply wasn't realistic. Edwards was not a focus of the offense. He turned into a spare part -- an expendable part.
After he played 11 snaps and did not catch a pass in a 21-19 loss at Arizona, Edwards' frustration was a little more apparent."Talk to them," Edwards said of the other receivers. "They played. I didn't."Edwards was a healthy scratch the following week against the Pittsburgh Steelers because coach Jim Harbaugh said the other receivers were out-performing him on the practice field and in games.After another lackluster showing against Seattle, the 49ers informed him of his release. Edwards issued the following statement via his website (BraylonEdwards.com): "I was released today by the 49ers due to my injury that required more time to rehab and hasn't allowed me to re-sync with the offense. I wish the 49ers organization the best of luck during the Playoffs. I will be working hard this off season to strengthen my knee and prepare for the 2012 season. Thanks for your continued support and for being such loyal fans."The 49ers confirmed that they were parting ways with Edwards, a seven-year veteran who was named to the AFC Pro Bowl team in 2007 with the Cleveland Browns.He finishes his 49ers tenure with 15 catches for 181 yards and no touchdowns after signing a one-year contract worth 1 million. Edwards could've reached another 2.5 million in incentives with 90 receptions and a Pro Bowl appearance.Edwards came to the 49ers with a "name." He was the third overall pick of 2005 draft. The 49ers brought him into Santa Clara to consider him for the No. 1 overall pick that year. In recent years, Edwards was known as much for some off-the-field incidents.He avoided any trouble off the field during his nearly five months with the 49ers. But the 49ers needed to see more on the field.
It's apparent Harbaugh and the coaching staff had seen enough. The 49ers' receiving corps has never been so thin, and they still believed they were better off without Edwards.Ted Ginn missed Saturday's game with a left ankle sprain and Kyle Williams was removed with an apparent concussion. Joshua Morgan, who began the season as a starter, is on injured reserve after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture above his left ankle.That leaves Michael Crabtree and Brett Swain as the 49ers' only healthy receivers. Williams and Ginn are expected back soon, though. The 49ers have two receivers on their practice squad: John Matthews and rookie Joe Hastings.The club continues to mull its next move.
When asked Monday during his weekly press conference if it's possible at this stage in the season for a player to come in and contribute, Harbaugh did not dismiss the notion."All options will be looked at," he said. "And like I said, decisions will be made with one thing in mind: What's best for the team, what helps the team win."