Monday, April 19, 1999
Niners trade Edwards to Browns
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Marc Edwards didn't want to leave the San Francisco 49ers. But after being traded to the Cleveland Browns, Edwards felt right at home.
“I walked into their war room for the draft today,” he said, “and I saw four or five faces I recognized.”
The new Browns have a strong 49er feel. President Carmen Policy and football operations director Dwight Clark came from San Francisco. And Policy and Clark traded for 49er quarterback Ty Detmer and signed running back Terry Kirby and defensive back Antonio Langham, 49ers free agents.
Saturday night, the Browns sent their second pick in the second round — No. 110 overall — to the 49ers for Edwards. With the addition of Edwards, the Browns could have as many as seven starters next season who are former 49ers.
“A lot of the specialists are guys I've played with before,” said Edwards, a graduate of Norwood High.
Edwards' agent told him two weeks ago that the Browns had expressed an interest in him.
“But I didn't think anything would become of it,” he said. “Then I get a call last night, and, holy cow, I'm in Cleveland.”
Edwards, 24, was picked in the second round of the 1997 draft by the 49ers from Notre Dame.
The 49ers used him primarily as a blocker and a receiver. He rushed for 94 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries last year and caught 22 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns.
Edwards expects to have a contingent from Norwood at a few Browns games this year.
“It's only a 41/2-hour drive,” he said. “It's a lot like it was when I was in college.”
Edwards isn't sure of his future plans.
“We haven't decided what we're going to do yet,” he said. “We're still letting this sink in.”
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