One of the ex-Raider pass catchers to follow Derek Carr to New Orleans, Bryan Edwards will not stick around with the Saints. The team waived the former third-round pick Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
The Saints gave Edwards a $1.1MM deal with no guarantees, putting him on the roster bubble at signing. The two-year Raider will not join Foster Moreau on the Saints’ 53-man roster.
Edwards, who spent last season with the Falcons, joined a Saints receiving corps housing Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, Rashid Shaheed, Tre’Quan Smith, Lynn Bowden and sixth-round rookie A.T. Perry. The team also brought back Keith Kirkwood this summer, though he is not exactly a roster lock. This early exit will give Edwards a chance to find a spot elsewhere, potentially on a practice squad.
A 6-foot-3 wideout chosen in the 2020 third round, Edwards produced for a Raiders team that lost Henry Ruggs midway through the 2021 season. Edwards caught 34 passes for 571 yards and three touchdowns that year, but not long after hiring Josh McDaniels as head coach, the Silver and Black traded Edwards to the Falcons. The South Carolina product did not catch on in Atlanta, catching just three passes and being waived in November. Edwards then spent time on the Chiefs’ practice squad.
Thomas’ health history brings questions regarding the Saints’ receiving corps, which lost Jarvis Landry this offseason. The former All-Pro remains healthy at this point, however, with Shaheed expected to again play a major role on offense. The Saints obtained Perry via the pick they received from the Broncos in the draft-weekend Adam Trautman trade.
Edwards is a good receiver. He is not particularly fast, but he has strong hands and knows how to use his body across the middle. Given that the Saints’ WR room is filled with smaller bodied, faster receivers, you’d think that Edwards would have been a good contrast as a possession catcher who has past chemistry with their new QB. I haven’t seen their preseason games this year, so I could be wrong.
I suppose Thomas will be the possession receiver by default. Perhaps Edwards didn’t do well in the offense, or maybe it was simply his lack of guaranteed money that got him cut, but he should catch on as a reserve somewhere. He has the potential to be a good third receiver on a team that needs bigger players at that spot.
He’s not a good receiver. He sucks. A second round pick on his third team doesn’t equal good.
A lot of players move teams, especially after a regime change. None of those Raiders picks lasted after the team changed direction. Also, Edwards was a third round pick, not a second. The only time that he played with a decent offensive unit, early on with the Raiders, he put up decent numbers.
So, no, Edwards isn’t a game breaker and I wouldn’t start him as a number 2 consistently. But he certainly has the ability to contribute to a good passing attack.
Denver has a spot open.