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New York Jets coach Rex Ryan doesn't rule out ex-Giants WR Plaxico Burress

I don't want to go crazy with this folks, but I found it very, very interesting that straight-talking Jets coach Rex Ryan didn't squash the talk of the Jets being interested in ex-Giants bad boy Plaxico Burress in his first public comments on the subject Friday.

Ryan is an old-fashioned football coach and a man who speaks his mind. When asked about Burress, here's what he said:

"We will do our 'due diligence' here because that is what it is. If anybody is out there, you want to find out because there are a lot of unknowns. Quite honestly, through that conversation (with Burress' agent, Drew Rosenhaus) I don't think that it's clear right now either way (concerning his legal troubles.)

"Is he going to be available? Is he not? None of you know that answer, either. We just wanted to see if they had heard anything.''

Asked if the team would pursue Burress if he's available to play, Ryan said, "We'll let that situation happen and we'll see. I want to see our guys through these camps. Let's see what we have here.''

As I wrote the other day, the Jets are high on wide receiver David Clowney and Brad Smith. But if neither steps up, all bets are off and the Jets will explore the trade and free-agent routes. I still think a possible trade for Cleveland's Braylon Edwards is the best of all possible scenarios but we'll see.

What I do know is it would be a public relations nightmare if the Jets signed Burress, with him being so close to the scene of the crime, but they might be willing to absorb the hit if they think Burress is the best available guy out there.

Burress, of course, is facing possible jail time for an incident in a Manhattan night club in which a gun he was illegally carrying went off and shot him in thigh. The Giants were willing to stand by their man until Burress refused to return phone calls to Giants owner John Mara and general manager Jerry Reese.

by Dave Hutchinson/The Star-Ledger
Friday May 01, 2009, 7:44 PM