Wide receiver Edwards sits out Browns’ first practice of training camp with unspecified injury

Edwards out as Browns open camp

BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards missed the team’s first training camp practice with an injury no one wants to talk about.

Edwards rode a stationary bike, ran sprints and stretched while his teammates sweated through the first of two practices Saturday under first-year Browns coach Eric Mangini.

Edwards, who missed minicamp in June with a leg injury, deflected questions about the nature and severity of his injury. There have been reports that Edwards hurt himself playing basketball, but the Browns’ top playmaker refused to divulge any information.

“Talk to coach Mangini about that, see what he says,” Edwards said.

Mangini would only say that Edwards would be on the field once he got clearance from Cleveland’s medical staff. He wouldn’t put any timetable on a return, but did confirm that Edwards was late in reporting to camp. Despite Edwards’ tardiness, Mangini said he has been impressed with the 26-year-old’s attitude and work ethic.

“My experience with him has been very positive,” Mangini said. “Multiple times he’s been the first one through the bags (agility drills). Multiple times where he’s out on front of the group in the classroom. I’ve seen a lot of really positive things from him. And I’m happy with the way he’s picked up the information we’ve asked him to pick up.”

Edwards is eager to bounce back from a disappointing season which began with him missing most of training camp with a foot injury. He caught 55 passes for 873 yards and three touchdowns, a significant drop from his 2007 Pro Bowl season when he had 80 receptions for 1,289 yards and 16 TDs.

He also led the league with 16 dropped passes.

Edwards said he began thinking about the upcoming season as soon as last year ended.

“We got into a downward spiral and never really came out of the spiral and things got worse. and attitudes, in terms of approaches, became monotone, definitely mine,” he said. “I think the big for me this year is approaching it with a solid attitude. It’s a fresh start, a new regime, and even myself, just going out there and just having fun with the game.”