WR Bryan Edwards Has Something to Prove in Year Two

Bryan Edwards of the Las Vegas Raiders is a burgeoning star for the Silver and Black, and for that reason he has something to prove in 2021.

There are a number of Las Vegas Raiders with something to prove this season, and one of them is second-year wide receiver, Bryan Edwards.

The 6-3, 212-pound Edwards was selected by the Raiders in the third round (No. 81 overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft out of South Carolina and was a sensation in training camp, even though there had been no rookie or mini-camps because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Then the season started with Edwards in the lineup because veteran Tyrell Williams was injured, but the rookie put up very disappointing numbers of 11 receptions for 193 yards, a 17.5-yard average, and only one touchdown in 12 games.

“With not having an offseason last year and having the first offseason this year, for the first part of it, I kind of did feel like a rookie again,” said Edwards, who is No. 2 on the depth chart behind Henry Ruggs III, last year’s first-round pick out of Alabama. “But, I’m kind of finding my pace now.

“It definitely was a process and it obviously was frustrating. Anytime I’m not getting the results I want to get, I’m frustrated and I’m trying fix it. But Rome wasn’t built in one day. All good things take time, and I’m just trusting the process.”

Big things were and still are expected from Edwards, who is South Carolina’s all-time leading receiver with 234 receptions for 3,045 yards and 22 touchdowns, making at least one catch in 48 consecutive games.

However, Edwards made only five catches for 99 yards in the first three games last season before sustaining ankle and foot injuries that put him on the Injured List for four weeks, and he didn’t play again until Week 9.

And he was mostly unspectacular, making only six catches for 94 yards the rest of the season, while also spending a short period of time in Covid-19 protocol.

“I mean last year is last year, I can’t change that,” said Edwards, whose 34-yard reception against the New England Patriots in Week 3 was his longest of the season. “I had some injuries and things like that.

“My main focus this year is just being the best person I can be for this team and trying to stay healthy, and make as many plays as I can.”

However, Coach Jon Gruden and General Manager Mike Mayock are not giving up on Edwards, who must find playing time behind Ruggs, free-agent signee John Brown and third-year-man Hunter Renfrow, who has been very productive off the bench as a slot receiver.

And others also remain high on Edwards.

“Edwards’ rookie season had a dent put into it due to injuries, but the 2020 third-round pick struggled to impress even when he was able to get on the field last year,” Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports wrote recently. “That said, he did initially earn the starting spot over Nelson Agholor to begin the year, but ultimately couldn’t claw back into that starting rotation after suffering injuries.

“Heading into 2021, however, Edwards is looking to get back on track and appears to be well-conditioned as he rolls into his sophomore season. With a year of learning Jon Gruden’s playbook under his belt, he could be a different type of receiver than what the Raiders currently have on the roster. His frame translates well to him being an X-receiver who can go up and win 50-50 balls, possibly opening the door for increased red-zone targets.”

And Raiders Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown told Austin Boyd of Heavy.com: “I really think the guy to look out for this year is Edwards. I think he’s going to be a major, major cog in what happens with this Raiders offense because of his ability to run those 10- and 15-yard routes.”

Edwards finished strong in 2020, catching a 26-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr and also making a 25-yard reception in a 32-31 victory over the Denver Broncos in the final game of the season.

The Raiders believe the best of Edwards is yet to come.

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