Jets awarded WR Braylon Edwards off waivers

The beard is back.

A week after Braylon Edwards ripped the Jets front office, the team claimed the outspoken wide receiver off waivers from Seattle Tuesday afternoon.

"It feels great to be going home. Thanks to all of jet nation that continuously supported me and pushed for me. I'm back and it's go timr," Edwards tweeted from his verified Twitter account @officialbraylon.

Rumors of a possible reunion ran rampant after the Jets released running back Kahlil Bell Tuesday in the hopes of signing a wideout, a source confirmed to Newsday. And it was almost a foregone conclusion the vacant roster spot could go to Edwards, who was waived from injured reserve by the Seahawks on Monday.

During his two-year tenure under Rex Ryan, he caught 88 passes for 1,445 yards and 11 touchdowns during 2009 and 2010 – the same seasons the Jets went to back-to-back AFC Championship Games. The team, however, chose not to re-sign him the following year.

Since then, the Jets offense has sputtered due to both injuries and the departure of several veterans. After missing the playoffs in 2011 after an 8-8 finish, the Jets (6-7) currently are one game out of playoff contention. But injuries to key players threaten to derail their hopes of winning out the rest of the way. An MRI revealed rookie Stephen Hill sprained the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee in their win over the Jaguars and it’s unclear how much time he’ll miss. Tight end Dustin Keller also is nursing an ankle injury and Clyde Gates (concussion) still is sensitive to light, though Ryan said he is hopeful both will be able to face the Tennessee Titans Monday night.

That left slot receiver Jeremy Kerley and backup tight end Jeff Cumberland as the Jets’ top receiving options – meaning, the arrival of Edwards couldn’t have come at a better time, even with just three games left to play.

Before the announcement, a league source confirmed yesterday the Jets were considering “all options” regarding Edwards and other receivers. A few hours later, he was awarded to the Jets off waivers.

Edwards made news last week when he came to the defense of quarterback Mark Sanchez (who was benched against Arizona) by calling members of the Jets’ front office “idiots” on Twitter. He later apologized for his “emotional outburst” but was cut by the Seahawks that same day with a waived/injured designation.

Since leaving the Jets after the 2010 season, he has 23 receptions for 255 yards and one touchdown in 19 games with the 49ers and Seahawks.