Teams are continuously busy making moves around the clock throughout the offseason, and the Las Vegas Raiders have now joined the action by trading former third-round pick Bryan Edwards to the Atlanta Falcons. He was packaged in a trade that included a seventh-round pick in next year’s draft in exchange for Atlanta’s fifth-round choice next year.
Bryan Edwards’ time with the Las Vegas Raiders
It’s Bryan Edwards and a seventh-round pick to Falcons for a fifth-round pick.
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) May 13, 2022
During his two years on the squad, he had numerous remarkable moments, such as a clutch catch in overtime against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. He concluded the season with 34 receptions for 571 yards and three touchdowns. Edwards slowly tried to move up in his position, but he was also one of Derek Carr’s favorite targets.
Edwards now adds more infamy to the Raiders’ 2020 draft class. That group of once promising players, drafted by Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden, is now mostly gone from the team. The sole exceptions are John Simpson and Amik Robertson. If nothing else, Edwards’ trade will serve as a reminder of the previous regime’s failures.
Could the recent signing of Keelan Cole have signaled the end of his time in Silver and Black? Many Raiders supporters believed that in Year 3, Edwards would finally break through and show out. Unfortunately, he now finds himself in Atlanta playing with a bunch of his old teammates, like Marcus Mariota and Casey Hayward, so that is no longer the case. Edwards was always seen as a player with much potential and upside, a victim of misguided use by Gruden. While he had some highlight-worthy moments during his tenure, it became apparent that Edwards would likely get buried in a group now featuring Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, and of course, Darren Waller.
McDaniels and Ziegler want “their guys” to get a chance
It looks like general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels are cleaning house by making the moves they believe are best for the team to not only win now but win consistently in the future. While Edwards will be missed, there’s no doubt that the Raiders wish him well in his career.
As the team is now being reconstructed, this offseason becomes more and more interesting by the week.
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*Top Photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images