Cleveland coach Eric Mangini is a disciple of Bill Belichick, so I didn't expect him to lay

out all the sordid details about the Braylon Edwards trade. But Mangini made it sound as if

he'd done Edwards a favor, dealing him to the Jets because the poor guy needed a change of

scenery.

"We thought this was a chance for a fresh start for Braylon," Mangini said Wednesday in a

conference call, "and we thought it was good for us in both the short term and the long term."

Mangini wasn't going to say that Edwards' act had grown thin, that he was an embarrassment off

the field and a disappointment on it. He didn't say Edwards will be a free agent after the

season, so the lowly Browns wanted to get something for him while they could.

But that's what happened. Mangini, in his first year as coach, decided Edwards was no longer

worth the trouble. And to think, two years ago Edwards caught 16 touchdown passes for a

Cleveland team that looked like a rising AFC power.

The Browns have imploded since then. On Sunday, they'll bring an 0-4 record to Ralph Wilson

Stadium, site of their last win, on a Monday night in November.

Mangini has a dysfunctional team on his hands, and he's clearly not interested in finishing,

oh, 7-9. He talks about being better in the short term, but you don't trade a former No.3

overall pick if you're serious about winning now.

The NFL is a win-now league, but Mangini is a first-year coach with time to rebuild. The

Browns traded Kellen Winslow Jr. for draft picks in February. They traded Mark Sanchez's

rights to the Jets on draft day. Wednesday, Mangini made another deal with his old team,

sending Edwards to the Jets for two players and two draft picks.

Mangini said he wanted to build a team of tough, smart, selfless and competitive guys (sound

familiar, Bills fans?). Evidently, the disgruntled Edwards didn't fit the mold.

Last year, Edwards was fined $150 for driving 120 mph. In March, he was partying with Donte

Stallworth on the night Stallworth drove drunk and killed a pedestrian (Edwards wasn't in the

car). Now the NFL is investigating a report that Edwards punched a friend of LeBron James

outside a Cleveland nightclub at 2:30 a.m.

So Edwards goes to the Jets, who are gambling that he can get his act together and be another

veteran receiving option for Sanchez. The gap between the Jets and Bills widens.

Mangini has put his players on notice: No one is bigger than the team, and off-field

misconduct will not be tolerated.

Meanwhile, the Bills remain a contented, underachieving bunch. They get blown out in Miami and

Dick Jauron tells us how much he loves his players and how hard they play.

Mangini wouldn't admit it, but sometimes you have to hit rock bottom. The Bills haven't done

it, despite missing the playoffs nine years in a row. They string 7-9 seasons and sell the

fantasy that they're close to contention.

This year, with Terrell Owens, they were supposed to take the next step. But four weeks in,

it's the same sad story. At least the Browns are honest with themselves. They won't hang on to

a divisive, underachieving wideout, just so people will think they're a contender.

The Bills should pay attention. They'll probably beat the Browns, but they're not going

anywhere. The trade deadline is Oct. 20. If they're 2-4 or worse, they should trade Owens or

Marshawn Lynch and begin to remake the roster.

Lynch, like Edwards, has a history of dubious off-field behavior. Fred Jackson is capable of

being the featured back. Why not trade Lynch before he does something truly regrettable?

Owens is going through the motions. After a pass intended for him was picked off in Miami,

Owens simply walked off the field, rather than chase down the play. James Hardy is healthy and

will be eligible the week after the trade deadline.

Don't tell me you can't make trades in the NFL. The Browns just traded the No.3 pick in the

'05 draft. They're the underdog Sunday, maybe the worst team in the NFL. They're still better

off than the Bills.