Braylon Edwards surprised some observers by signing his one-year tender ($6.1 million) and reporting for the starting of the off-season program. He was a restricted free agent and, even though he probably wouldn’t have drawn much serious interest because of the price tag (first- and third-round picks as compensation), he said today he wasn’t interested in shopping around.

Edwards told me he likes the Jets and is perfectly content to play on a one-year deal. (Not exactly chump change at a cool $6.1 million.) The goal, of course, is to cash in with a long-term deal after the season, when he will be an unrestricted free agent. For now, he doesn’t want to be a distraction, but he feels like he can have a big year.

“It definitely can be a huge year for me,” he said. “If I have a monster year or a good year, remind people what I’m capable of on a consistent basis, I think this team would definitely want me back and make some strides to compensate me.”

He also said, “If I do what I’m capable of, and do what they expect of me, we won’t have a problem re-signing a deal at the end of this year.”

Things could change if the Jets use their first-round pick (29th overall) on a receiver.

* * *

The Jets’ off-season theme is “212 degrees” — a slogan emblazoned across gray workout T-shirts worn by the players. If you paid attention in your science classes, you’ll know that 212 degrees is when water boils. It’s also a book (“212, The Extra Degree) that was made into an inspirational film.

The theme of the book/film goes like this: One extra degree can make all the difference. At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212, it boils. With boiling water comes steam. With steam, you can power a train. One degree = exponential results.”

Considering how close the Jets came last season to reaching the Super Bowl, I’d say the “212″ theme is fitting. They need to find that last degree.

* * *

Amid the spring optimism that permeates every locker room in the NFL, LB Bart Scott offered this sobering reminder:

“We may not have a season after this one,” Scott said, alluding to the possibility of a lockout by NFL owners. “The rules — a new CBA, if something is worked out — could change the game as we know it. We have to be willing to put everything we have into this season because it could be our last for a while.”

* * *

Met LaDainian Tomlinson for the first time. Seems like a class act. Like any prideful competitor, he refused to admit he has lost a step even though he’s on a two-year decline. Those last two seasons in San Diego, he claimed, weren’t an accurate reflection of his ability at age 30.

“The things that happened in San Diego, everything was taken away from me,” he said.
“There wasn’t an emphasis on running the football anymore, my best fullback was gone, the linemen were pass blocking and it was a passing quarterback and a passing coach. So, the situation’s kind of misleading when you look on film.”

Tomlinson, who turns 31 in June, rushed for a career-low 733 yards last season. He signed a two-year, $5.2 million contract with the Jets and it looking forward to working in a complementary role with Shonn Greene.

“Hopefully,” he said, “we can be like Jordan and Pippen.”

* * *

As expected, P Steve Weatherford underwent a procedure to fix his irregular heartbeat, which caused him to miss the wild-card playoff game.

* * *

I asked Bart Scott if Antonio Cromartie’s infamous girly-man tackle on Shonn Greene in the divisional playoff game (okay, I didn’t use the word ‘girly-man’) is a cause for concern now that he’s a teammate. Scott said that never would’ve happened on the Jets’ defense because of the “peer pressure” on players to be physical.

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