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Surprise, some relief and more than a little excitement about what comes next. That’s the best way to describe Bryan Edwards’ reaction to being traded from the Las Vegas Raiders to the Atlanta Falcons.
The Raiders dealt Edwards on May 13, with the trade first reported by Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Details of the full terms and compensation were added by ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
It was quite the sudden reversal of fortune for Edwards, who was the Raiders’ third-round pick in the 2020 draft. The 23-year-old has finally broken his silence on the trade, discussing his initial shock, delight at returning to familiar territory, and where he fits in the Falcons’ offense.
Edwards Caught Off Guard by Trade
It’s fair to say Edwards wasn’t expecting to be traded. That’s what he told Falcons Digital Managing Editor Scott Bair: “I did not know a trade was coming. It kind of caught me off guard. My head was spinning for a while. Once I grasped the idea I was coming back to the right side of the country, it felt good.”
Edwards, a native Conway, South Carolina, said he was happy about playing in the South once again. He attended college at the University of South Carolina. Returning to familiar surroundings might help Edwards boost his numbers.
He started 15 games during two seasons in Las Vegas, catching 45 passes for 764 yards and scoring four touchdowns. What stands out among Edwards’ statistics is the 17.2 yards per reception he managed, ample proof he knows how to stretch the field.
While he might’ve been surprised not to get more opportunities to show that talent for the Raiders, Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton tweeted that there was no longer any room for Edwards in Las Vegas.
“Yes, Bryan Edwards has a lot of potential and had some crucial catches, but trading him isn’t a tough pill to swallow,” Moton wrote. “Raiders added Davante Adams. They have Waller and Renfrow. If you thought Edwards disappeared before, he wasn’t going to see a lot of targets with this group.”
Edwards may not have fit in the schemes of new Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels, but he could earn a larger workload with the Falcons.
Edwards Encouraged by Scheme Fit in Atlanta
Edwards said he’s suited to the role wide receivers play in Falcons head coach Arthur Smith’s offense: “I knew Smith likes bigger receivers and they run a lot of in-breaking routes where guys can get the YAC and make big plays off of it. When I heard I was coming here, I thought it was a really good fit, about as good as it can get.”
More than the types of plays he’ll be asked to run in Atlanta, Edwards said he was looking forward to playing a more bruising brand of football: “It’s something I have to get back into the rhythm of. I feel like I got away from it, being in Las Vegas. These guys, they play physical here. They like to get up and pressure. In this division they’re going to get up on the line and play man-to-man. It’ll be a lot of fun getting back to beating man-to-man, getting back to being the true receiver I am.”
Operating in a more physical offense will require wideouts to block, which is something Edwards (89) can manage, like on this play against the New Orleans Saints, tweeted by ATB Falcons contributor Tre’Shon:
At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Edwards has the size and tenacity to handle edge defenders.
“Edwards is one of the best chip blocking WRs in the NFL when he lines up next to the tackle,” tweeted Stacking The Board’s Cam Marino.
The deal for Edwards was just one of several moves the Falcons have made to get bigger at wide receiver, including signing free agent Auden Tate and drafting Drake London with the eighth overall pick this year. Now the Falcons have a formidable collection of towering targets on the outside.
“The Falcons WR room has 6’4 Drake London, 6’5 Auden Tate, 6’1 Frank Darby, and now 6’3 Bryan Edwards to go along with 6’6′ Kyle Pitts. Skyscrapers in that room,” AJ Schulte of SB Nation’s Mile High Report tweeted.
The Falcons also signed 5-foot-11 KhaDarel Hodge and 6-foot-3 Geronimo Allison.
Edwards also has been praised by former teammates, including the Falcons’ potential starting quarterback.
Raiders Past & Present Endorse Edwards’ Talents
Edwards made a positive impression on a few key members of the Raiders’ roster, including All-Pro tight end Darren Waller, who told Heavy’s Austin Boyd what Edwards would bring to the Falcons.
“Contested catchability is elite, and I feel like he can only continue to grow as a player as he gets more and more opportunities – you see it in the games where he got opportunities,” Waller said. “A change of scenery – it can be one of the best things that can ever happen to you.”
A propensity for making contested catches is something the Falcons need. NFC South rivals the Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers like to play sticky man-to-man coverage and force receivers to reel in passes under pressure and in tight windows.
Edwards showed what he can do against close attention on this play against the Miami Dolphins:
Smith and offensive coordinator Dave Ragone will want to see a similar rapport develop between Edwards and quarterback Marcus Mariota. The latter played for Smith with the Tennessee Titans and served as backup quarterback with the Raiders the last two seasons.
“I love that guy. We developed a relationship in Las Vegas,” Mariota told Deen Worley of Falcons Wire. “He came in as a rookie when I first got there. So, we were kind of learning the system together. I love his competitiveness, I love his drive, I think he’s a great addition to that room.”
Somebody emerging from a new-look corps of wide receivers as a legitimate go-to target could increase Mariota’s chances of landing the starting job over third-round pick Desmond Ridder.
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