Why Now For Mike Edwards?
November 17th, 2024
So weeks ago new/old Bucs defensive back Mike Edwards asked for a trade from the Buffalo Bills.
Joe heard many reports out of Buffalo say it was Edwards who wanted out and requested a trade because he wasn’t playing.
After winning a ring with the Chiefs last season (and playing in every game), Edwards was in line for a starting job with Buffalo. But Edwards missed many spring practices and training camp with injuries, revered Bills safety Damar Hamlin rose up and Edwards became a backup. He played in just three of the Bills’ first eight games.
Buffalo didn’t find a deal for Edwards at the trade deadline and cut him. The Titans signed Edwards last week and dumped him.
The Bucs claimed Edwards on waivers. Every NFL player, even vested veterans like Edwards, must clear waivers after any year’s NFL trade deadline, which was Nov. 5.
So Joe has to wonder why the Bucs claimed Edwards. More specifically, why now?
Tampa Bay could have traded for him and probably gotten him from Buffalo for a swap of sixth- or seventh-round draft picks (not losing a pick but exchanging a seventh-round pick). But Joe guesses the Bucs didn’t deem Edwards to be needed before the Bucs lost to the Chiefs.
Then, Edwards signed with the Titans as a free agent immediately after the trade deadline. Why didn’t the Bucs sign Edwards then?
The “now” part of this Edwards move has Joe a little spooked. Did the Bucs get Zyon McCollum’s MRI result (hamstring) on Tuesday and enter panic mode?
Regardless, Edwards is no savior, but he certainly can’t hurt. He was a very versatile piece during his four years in Tampa.
November 17th, 2024 at 8:17 am
You just can’t have enough DBs
November 17th, 2024 at 8:17 am
I doubt Edwards wants Bowles again but he has no other choice.
November 17th, 2024 at 8:18 am
I think this allows more personnel/position flexibility on the field. Mike knows Todd’s defense. This also makes Whitehead and Winfield Jr. step up their game. Both have been underwhelming to say the least. Mike seems comfortable in Todd’s defense, let’s just hope there hasn’t been any drop off in his play.
November 17th, 2024 at 8:23 am
Any move to improve this defense is better then no move. It’s a shame tho that we bring old guys back, it’s like you need to have played in this defense before. Like when Todd said he had no one ready yet to replace Britt. Players who’ve been with the team since March aren’t ready yet. Limits our FA possibilities if it takes years to grasp Todd’s system. Welcome back, and good luck Edwards.
November 17th, 2024 at 8:29 am
The Bucs need more veteran leadership on defense. Hopefully the defense will continue to improve and peak down the stretch !
No more losses !! Go Bucs !!
November 17th, 2024 at 8:30 am
Sounds like someone was asleep at the wheel, because help was/is needed regardless of McCollum MRI results.
November 17th, 2024 at 9:23 am
Why did Tenn cut him so soon after signing him? My guess is he has lost a step and is a shell of the former self.
November 17th, 2024 at 9:23 am
With this trash zone scheme and no pass rush, it zyon doesn’t play I don’t know if it matters who is on the schedule because Bowles does not know how to compensate. The way Bowles talks about guys scheme I wonder how many weeks it’ll take before he says Edwards is ready
November 17th, 2024 at 9:56 am
This should help some. Izen can go back to slot to help relieve smith and even play outside if Zyon can’t go. When whitehead or Winfield need a breather Edwards can come in or if injury happens. He knows the defense and has a bye week to help get acclimated back to it. Even it ifs just a bandaid right to help stop the bleeding at least their trying something. Need to get to the root of the issue and really fix the defense but that most likely won’t happens as we are more than half way thru the season
November 17th, 2024 at 10:02 am
I would sooo temper my expectations for Edwards…sadly to bounce around a couple of teams and not cut it anywhere other than Tampa as a 3rd draft selection is just sad.
But we get the warm fuzzies reminiscent of his time here in Tampa. Smh. Everyone in that middle of the field from ILBs to CBs, Safeties played better when we had Shaq, Suh, Vita, and JPP holding down a 4-man front. That is not Tampa anymore and that entire portion of our defense is suffering because of it.
November 17th, 2024 at 11:22 am
Bowles knows he can get the most out of Edwards just like him picking up Whitehead. How’s that working out? Seems like Whitehead was let go for a reason too.
November 17th, 2024 at 11:23 am
I agree with Hodad that in addition to being ineffective (to say the least), another strike against bowles’ defensive scheme is that apparently you need a PhD and a year to study it before you’re ready to play in it. Even then it’s still not enough sometimes, hence guys that have been playing in it for years continuing to have “communication issues” within it. Obviously this limits what we can do as far as in season trades go. Also may explain why backups are never ready to play, why bowles refuses to sit “starters” when they aren’t playing that way, why drafted guys seem to plateau in their development, etc. So many negatives for a defense that, outside of 2020, really hasn’t been anything special in hindsight. I mean it’s not like we were the 85 Bears at any point during his reign. Yeah we were good against the run. That’s worth about as much as a fart in the wind in the modern day NFL. Yeah it was great when we had JPP, Suh, young Vea when the weight wasn’t such an issue, prime Shaq, younger LVD, prime DW45, the “gravediggers,” rookie AWJ, good Whitehead/Edward’s rotation. But you can’t count on having that D every year. That’s a once in a career roster, just like our offense was that year. If that’s the only way your scheme works, your scheme doesn’t work. Whatever you want to say about the defensive talent or injuries, we should be better than the second to worst defense in the league. And that’s on bowles for not getting the most out of the players we have and tailoring the scheme to fit what they can do. He’s just a stubborn old man who believes in his scheme even though all available evidence points to it not working anymore. I’m sick of seeing the team suffer for his misplaced pride.
#FIREbowles
#NOconfidence
November 17th, 2024 at 11:23 am
It just depends n how he was being used in Tenn. at least Bowles knows what he CAN do. Now how he uses him is anyone’s guess.
November 17th, 2024 at 11:33 am
I just hope he can still at least help defend the pass in the middle…
November 17th, 2024 at 11:35 am
I think the plan is to get out LB not Levonte off the field in passing situations for a third safety. Bowles has used the 3 safety look before.
November 17th, 2024 at 1:11 pm
Algo Rhythm is having an MVP season on defense. Wish he played for the Bucs.
November 17th, 2024 at 2:25 pm
I just want to remind you guys Mike Edwards is pretty awful.
November 17th, 2024 at 5:02 pm
Trying it different.
When doing trendline analysis, it shows Bucs defenders’ performance is poor and regressing. Edwards will surely be coached to do the same.
November 17th, 2024 at 5:07 pm
Maybe it has something to do with all those wide open receivers in the middle of the field.
November 17th, 2024 at 7:32 pm
Yeah it’s not like they could win a Super Bowl with Winfield, Whitehead, and Edwards 🙄.
We’re putting the band back together!!
November 17th, 2024 at 10:52 pm
Unfortunately that band had BA as its leader. This band doesn’t even know which instrument they’re supposed to play on what tune.