Following the year-long suspension of Calvin Ridley, the Falcons boasted one of the worst receiving cores in football, maybe even the worst. However, Terry Fontenot didn’t just sit on his hands. He made Drake London the highest-drafted wideout in this cycle, but the former Saints executive wasn’t done.
A couple of weeks ago, the Raiders traded Bryan Edwards and a seventh-round pick to the Falcons in exchange for a fifth-round pick. After transitioning across the country, he joined the team for voluntary OTAs and had some encouraging words for Falcons fans during a media session.
“I did not know a trade was coming — it kind of caught me off guard,” Edwards said when speaking to the media. “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 was born in South Carolina and played for the Gamecocks before being drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft, so he’s exponentially closer to home being in Atlanta.
He only recorded 11 receptions for 193 yards and one touchdown during his rookie season but had a much improved second year. Edwards totaled 34 receptions for 571 yards and three touchdowns last season. Las Vegas made the blockbuster trade to acquire Davante Adams earlier this offseason, which made Edwards expendable, but that doesn’t diminish what he can be for the Falcons.
Through two seasons with the Raiders, he’s been underutilized but will look to finally break out in Atlanta. Edwards stands 6’3” and weighs 212 pounds, which is certainly becoming a trend among Atlanta’s pass catchers. Taking a flyer on him makes sense. He’s currently in the third year of his four-year, $4.7 million rookie deal, making it a nearly risk-free acquisition.
Edwards also has a connection with Marcus Mariota, given the pair’s time in Vegas together. He’s the prototypical wideout for Arthur Smith — big frame with the ability to threaten defenses after the catch. Moreover, he’s excited to be a member of this team, another trend with this new regime — players who want to be a Falcon.
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Photographer: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire
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