Browns put WR Edwards on non-football injury list

CLEVELAND (AP)—The Cleveland Browns have placed wide receiver Braylon Edwards(notes) on the non-football injury list with an unspecified injury.

The team did not give any details in making the announcement about their top offensive playmaker on Tuesday. A message seeking comment was left with Browns spokesman Neal Gulkis.

Edwards is the only established receiver on Cleveland’s roster, and he was mostly a spectator during the team’s three-day camp in June because of an undisclosed injury. At the time, Edwards and first-year Browns coach Eric Mangini said it wasn’t serious, and Mangini added that Edwards was expected to participate fully in the team’s training camp, which begins Saturday.

Edwards had 55 receptions and three touchdowns last season, a dramatic drop from the 80 catches and 16 TDs he had as a Pro Bowler in 2007. The former No. 3 overall pick was plagued by dropped passes in 2008, and his season got off to a rocky start when he suffered a serious injury to his heel during training camp when he was stepped on while running post-practice sprints in his socks.

The Browns seem to be doing all they can to keep Edwards’ injury under wraps. The team announced his status in a press release on the signing of second-round pick Mohamed Massaquoi(notes). With Massaquoi, the 50th overall selection in the NFL draft in camp, Cleveland’s only unsigned draft choice is wide receiver Brian Robiskie(notes).

The team was hoping Edwards could serve as a mentor to Robiskie, who played at Ohio State and once served as a Browns ballboy. Robiskie and Massaquoi will compete for the No. 2 receiver job behind Edwards.

Cleveland’s depth at wide receiver has been thinned with the retirement of Joe Jurevicius(notes) due to injury and Donte Stallworth’s indefinite suspension for DUI manslaughter.