There we go: the New Orleans Saints are signing former Las Vegas Raiders wider receiver Bryan Edwards, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and confirmed by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. Underhill was the first to report the team’s interest in Edwards, who was picked by the Raiders in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft out of South Carolina and quickly established a connection with Derek Carr.
Edwards was traded to the Atlanta Falcons last offseason after the Raiders hired head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, where a training camp injury slowed him down. He was eventually released and briefly caught on with the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad.
Maybe Edwards can rebound with his old quarterback. He and Carr connected on 34 receptions for 571 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2021, converting 26 first downs. He showed an ability to use his big frame (6-foot-3 and 212 pounds) to win on contested catches and stress defenses vertically.
If nothing else he’s worth bringing in as a depth piece. The Saints are adding Edwards to a thin position group hinging on second-year leaps from Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed as well as better health for Michael Thomas, who has missed most of the last three years recovering from a couple of different lower-leg injuries. Other players on the depth chart include Tre’Quan Smith, Keith Kirkwood, Kirk Merritt, and Kawaan Baker.
