Plenty of laughs as Braylon Edwards returns to the Jets

• Braylon Edwards, released by the Seattle Seahawks, is back with the Jets, who desperately need receivers
• A week ago, Edwards had called the Jets front office "idiots" for not surrounding QB Mark Sanchez with talent
• The next day, he apologized. On Thursday, he joked, "It was like, 'Yeah, I burned that bridge'"

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Braylon Edwards did not tiptoe back into the New York Jets facility Thursday. He did not worry about whether his calling the team's front office idiots recently would affect his welcome.

And the veteran wide receiver, away from the Jets for most of the last two seasons, went right back into his playful routine in the locker room when he looked to his right and saw his new neighbor, linebacker and special-teams player Nick Bellore.

Within minutes, Edwards was saying Bellore facially resembled acclaimed actor Peter Dinklage, who stars in HBO's Game of Thrones among many other entertainment credits.

Cornerback Antonio Cromartie, laughing from across the locker room at the needling, was asked how long it took Edwards to get comfortable in his surroundings. "One day," he said. "But that's kind of how you have to act. He's a hard worker, he does everything you need him to do and (coach) Rex (Ryan) loves him.

"He's glad to be back in New York, and we're glad to have him back."

The Jets welcomed Edwards after claiming him on waivers Tuesday, one day after the Seattle Seahawks released him.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he thought Edwards' hamstring injury would have kept him out for a few weeks, but Edwards practiced in a limited capacity Thursday and expects to play Monday against the Tennessee Titans.

"I don't think Pete has an M.D.," Edwards said. "No, I'm just joking."

Jokes were the theme of the day. If Edwards does nothing on the field, at least he's generating smiles for a team that hasn't been grinning much this season, even if its playoff hopes are alive despite a 6-7 record.

Edwards even cracked a few one-liners about his Dec. 3 tweet that idiots in the Jets front office hadn't surrounded quarterback Mark Sanchez with enough weapons on offense.

"After the tweet, it was like, 'Yeah, I burned that bridge,'" Edwards said.

Not really. The Jets, desperate for help on offense, were willing to forgive. Edwards apologized for the tweet and said there was no awkwardness when he greeted general manager Mike Tannenbaum in the cafeteria Wednesday.

There also was no awkwardness during Ryan's news conference Thursday. Ryan, as usual, defused the situation with humor.

"(Tannenbaum) and I are doing this, 'Oh, he's talking about you.' 'No, he's talking about you,' so we're both OK with it," Ryan said.

There won't be much giggling if Edwards can't help the Jets' 30th-ranked pass offense improve in time to make a playoff push. The team will be without rookie Stephen Hill (knee) against the Titans, which leaves Jeremy Kerley and either Chaz Schilens (concussion) or Mardy Gilyard. That's an underwhelming trio, which is why Edwards has a chance to regain his old form.

Asked what this means for the receiver rankings on the team, Cromartie chuckled. He created an uproar this summer when he said he was the second-best receiver on the roster, behind Santonio Holmes.

"I'm the No. 1 corner," Cromartie said, laughing, Thursday. "That's all I'll say about that."