The Falcons have made notable moves this offseason. Most notably, trading Matt Ryan to Indianapolis and selecting Drake London in the NFL Draft. On the flip side, there have been moves that don’t seem as notable. Signing Lorenzo Carter may strengthen the defensive line, but very few expect him to put up double-digit sacks on the year. However, according to Scott Bair – Digitial Managing Editor for the Falcons – there’s one under-the-radar acquisition that he believes will transform the Falcons offense into something special:
Bryan Edwards Gets Traded to Atlanta
On May 16th, 2022, Bryan Edwards received a phone call. He was getting traded to the Atlanta Falcons. Edwards, still on his rookie deal, was shocked. He hadn’t expected to be traded. He had prided himself on his work ethic and vowed to make each year of his professional career better than the last. While he was still raw in his mechanics, the young prospect had an elite catching ability.
He struggled to grapple with the thought of leaving Las Vegas but then looked at it as a new beginning. Edwards was from the east coast; he went to school at the University of South Carolina; living in Atlanta kept him close to friends and family, and thus he became optimistic about how things might fare for him in the peach state.
Edwards isn’t the only one who believes in his abilities.
Scott Bair: “Bryan Edwards will have a bigger impact than most people realize.”
It’s no secret that the Falcons lack weapons.
Drake London shows great promise, and Kyle Pitts is fantastic but occupies the tight end position. So, who else will make plays when both men are covered? Scenes like these present a golden opportunity for Bryan Edwards to make his mark. Not only that, but he truly believes he can thrive in an Arthur Smith offensive scheme.
The Falcons decided to go bigger at wide receiver; they have numerous receivers over six feet: Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Bryan Edwards, Auden Tate, and Frank Darby, to name a few. “I knew [head coach/offensive play-caller Arthur Smith] likes bigger receivers, and they run a lot of in-breaking routes where guys can get the YAC and make big plays off of it,” Edwards says. Between Bryan Edwards and a much smaller Olamide Zaccheaus, Edwards may have more plays called in his direction.
It’s not just the Falcons organization that sees his value, though; Pro Bowler Darren Waller had this to say on his former teammate just after he got traded:
“Contested-catch ability is elite, and I feel like he can only continue to grow as a player as he gets more and more opportunities – you see it in the games where he got opportunities.”
Edwards will definitely get more opportunities this year. Last season, Edwards racked up 571 receiving yards on just 34 receptions. Arthur Smith plans for this to be a big-play offense, and averaging 16.8 yards/reception will help. With much more involvement, Edwards breaking 1,000 receiving yards isn’t out of the picture.
Bryan Edwards is looking for an opportunity to showcase his potential as a player. He’s finally getting a shot in Atlanta. I can’t wait to see how the young prospect handles it, and I’m excited to see him prosper as a Falcon.
