This would make a lot of sense: the New Orleans Saints are taking a look at free agent wide receiver Bryan Edwards, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, who adds that “The Saints remain interested in adding another physical receiver to the roster.”
Edwards, 24, was a teammate of Derek Carr’s on the Las Vegas Raiders not too long ago. The Raiders picked him at No. 81 overall in the 2020 NFL draft out of South Carolina and he quickly climbed the depth chart to be named a starter after training camp, though an early-season ankle injury bumped him down the depth chart and he finished his rookie year with just 11 passes for 193 receiving yards and a score. He and Carr took a big step forward together in 2021, connecting on 34 completions for 571 yards, scoring 3 touchdown receptions and converting 26 first downs.
Then things went sideways. Jon Gruden was fired as head coach, Josh McDaniels was brought in, and Edwards was thrown out with the wash. He was traded to the Atlanta Falcons last May, but a training camp shoulder injury slowed him down, and he was cut in November after totaling 3 receptions for 15 yards during seven games. He briefly landed with the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad to close out the season but was unluckily let go before their Super Bowl run. He’s been a free agent ever since.
Still, it’s worth bringing him in to see if he can rebound with a quarterback he knows well in a similar offense to the one he thrived in before. Edwards is still very young by NFL standards and has prototype size at 6-foot-2 3/4 and 212 pounds, with 32 1/4-inch arms. He’s shown before that he can make the most of those physical traits by catching 10 of 19 contested targets sent his way during the 2021 season. His average depth of target that year (14.4 yards) suggests he can make plays downfield, too, so he could be a really nice fit in New Orleans if he’s interested in the opportunity and if the money makes sense for both sides. It’s something to watch in the days ahead.