Very Ready For Prime Time
September 19th, 2022
Safety Mike Edwards
Perhaps the greatest under-the-radar change on the Bucs is safety Mike Edwards stepping in as a starter following the offseason departure of Jordan Whitehead.
It’s unclear whether the Bucs thought free agent Keanu Neal could win that job, or that free agent Logan Ryan might seize it. But the reality is Edwards played every snap at safety on opening day and was right back at it again yesterday.
The fourth-year man, drafted in Round 3 of the 2019 NFL Draft, led the Bucs in interceptions last season with four. And he iced Sunday’s huge takedown of the slimy Saints with a pick-six of Jameis Winston.
Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio after the game, Edwards said he was baiting Jameis into the throw and the interception played out just as he hoped.
“The tight end ran vertical and I kind was trying to bait Jameis a little bit to throwing the curl route by Jarvis [Landry], and I seen him kind of set a throw and jumped in front of Jarvis and stepped in front of him and picked him,”Edwards said. “… I had to score that.”
Damn, it’s amazing what general manager Jason Licht pulled off in that 2019 draft: Edwards, Jamel Dean, Devin White and Sean Murphy-Bunting, plus Anthony Nelson and Scotty Miller. They’ve all been significant contributors. Heck, throw in Super Bowl and Pro Bowl kicker Matt Gay, though he didn’t thrive until he got with the Rams.
Joe is so damn impressed by the 2022 Bucs secondary. It’s been nothing short of dominant.
.@M__Edwards7 with the pick 6️⃣
📺: #TBvsNO on FOX pic.twitter.com/kIitUmdDIj
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) September 18, 2022
September 19th, 2022 at 1:22 am
And so many people were calling for Jamal Dean and Mike Edwards heads.
Pfffft.
September 19th, 2022 at 1:23 am
See these are the kind of PICKs that I appreciate from the Jamis Wiston years!!!
WOOOOOOO!
September 19th, 2022 at 1:26 am
You will know when Jameis is toast when he starts tossing INTs in the opening drives Saints fan are in for a world of hurt
September 19th, 2022 at 1:52 am
Edwards was a ball hawk in college … A lot of those names on that list were thrown under the bus by many in here and by Joebucs themselves in CONSTANT defense of Winston putting them in bad spots!! You can go back to when Dean got burnt by Seattle in his first start and everyone was saying bench him and you can go back to my comments and see where I said he’ll be one of their best CBs just give him time dude is a baller … I also said Scotty Miller was ALWAYS open and Winston just overthrew him every time while this sight was saying get rid of him … Lots of apologizing to do!! Lol … Winston is the gift that keeps on giving!!
September 19th, 2022 at 2:07 am
so damn glad we are no longer burdened with winston, he gets up to the podium and starts up with the “I have to do better” game after game of that sh!t–today he threw 3 picks and fumbled and just all of the same moves he made as a Buc quarterback. Glad he is the saints problem now. The Saints fans went quiet in the superdome–they had been crazy loud then quiet as they made their way out–good place for winston now.
September 19th, 2022 at 3:22 am
Notice in his press conference Jameis never called the Buccaneers by name. Seemed like with disgust in his voice he called the Buccaneers “that team” over and over again. Priceless.
September 19th, 2022 at 3:39 am
Edwards is shining…..I love it. And we got vet depth back there!!! Look out you other 31 teams.
September 19th, 2022 at 5:43 am
The catch 22 is that Dean and Edwards are playing at the level that will price them out of Tampa next year with our salary cap restraints, unless we go with a certain draft pick at qb. Enjoy it while it lasts!
September 19th, 2022 at 6:14 am
I wonder if it’s coaching as much as drafting our young guys? They all are talented coming out of college. 🤔
September 19th, 2022 at 6:20 am
The nickel package with Winfield in the slot and Ryan next to Edwards might be the best nickel secondary in the league right now.
September 19th, 2022 at 6:27 am
The guy has always played well when in the game , doesn’t look the fastest on the field but sure plays great !! Dam good football player ……… I still prefer Bunting in the Slot .
September 19th, 2022 at 6:57 am
I said last year that there was a drop off in the secondary when the Edwards and Winfield were not both in game and SMB returned to the lineup in the rams game
September 19th, 2022 at 7:03 am
SoFloBuc … Interesting observation; not sure though that you can separate the two because they’re BOTH critical to an individual player’s & team’s success IMO. Although historically the results are dependent upon the specific position drafted, I personally expect Rnd 1 & Rnd 2 draft picks to be starters or at least key rotational players. All of them stand out big-time in college & that USUALLY translates well when it comes to advancing to the NFL. A LOT of Bucs draft picks have fallen into that category over the past several years.
But Rnd 3 & Rnd 4 guys seem to USUALLY take awhile to develop, but a healthy percentage seem to eventually end up as starters and/or key rotational players (again though, position-dependent). That seems to be where coaches really earn their money when it comes to developing players. Bucs have a number of guys in that category too (like Mike Edwards).
Players drafted in the later Rnds (5-7) and who are undrafted really seem to have an uphill climb to stick after their initial 4 years. Yet many do (like Ryan Jensen & Cam Brate?).
One aspect of a player’s development that seems to be either overlooked or downplayed is the impact that veteran players have on the younger ones. Tom Brady’s impact is a great example I’m sure, but so is the impact of guys like Logan Mankins, Logan Ryan and yes, Ndamukong Suh. Guys like that become the ‘field generals’ & impact younger players in ways that no coach could IMO.
September 19th, 2022 at 7:07 am
i knew if tampa could get a lead, and force jameis to pass, that he would revert to his old self, and start throwing picks, sure was nice to see he was doing it playing for someone else
September 19th, 2022 at 7:18 am
I seem to remember one fool JBFer saying that Jamel Dean was “looked too slow to play corner.” I pointed out that he had the fastest 40 time of any active corner in the entire NFL. Remember how many of you complained about that draft because you “never heard of these players.” Yes you are the same people that complained about the draft in 2020 and 2021. You’re still wrong. At some point you will realize that Licht evaluates football for a living and you work at McDonald’s.
September 19th, 2022 at 7:46 am
Jameis had to feel Anthony Nelson coming from the right side!!! If Nelly would’ve swam to the inside instead of trying that rip n dip around the corner, Winston wouldn’t have had the time to toss that pick, good pressure on Nelsons’ part.
September 19th, 2022 at 8:09 am
Edwards has great instincts .
Nelson does his job well
September 19th, 2022 at 9:23 am
@SoFloBuc – Its coaching. From Schiano to Lovie to Dirk one common denominator was that the drafted players were not getting any better. Since BA, players are actually getting coached up. Look at the players on the Oline. Yesterday a third stringer helped hold back one on the leagues best Dlines. That comes from great coaching
September 19th, 2022 at 10:59 am
I’ve been saying for years.
Jamel Dean has the potential to be a shut down corner as good as Antonio “the baby maker” Cromartie.
Dean is a physical freak. As Ronde said during his rookie season.
I’m so proud of Dean for playing with more fire.
Dean is more talented than Carlton Davis.
But Davis is more mature and plays with more passion.
I’m an Auburn Tiger Alumni too.
Go Bucs!
@jason Licht. – Please hire Cadillac Williams.
September 19th, 2022 at 7:59 pm
I’m from Kentucky, and the very first time I ever saw “Edwards” play as a Freshman (4* outta Ohio, best I remember…I remember his recruitment and HS-highlights/film), I told everyone (from then-on) that HE will be playing on Sundays!!!! He was part of “Stoops” first ever top-notch/highly-rated class with about seven or eight other 4*recruits that year… He started our ‘Ohio-Pipeline’ w along with a handful more.
September 19th, 2022 at 8:35 pm
I’ve been saying since 2020 that Edwards was our best safety against the pass. All he’s done is prove me right the last two seasons.
September 23rd, 2022 at 11:12 pm
As oppressed pro athlete I would say that Scotty Miller is a diamond in the rough and they need to keep him because when everything is down he seems to come up with a great play or a great catch you don’t want to let people like that out of your organization keep it up Scotty great job