Bills release of veteran Super Bowl winner expresses confidence in rookie second-round pick
When the Buffalo Bills brought in veteran safety Mike Edwards in March, it was as an experienced safety with two Super Bowl wins under his belt, adding him to the roster in the wake of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde departing the team.A month later, the Bills drafted safety Cole Bishop in the 2nd round, adding […]
When the Buffalo Bills brought in veteran safety Mike Edwards in March, it was as an experienced safety with two Super Bowl wins under his belt, adding him to the roster in the wake of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde departing the team.
A month later, the Bills drafted safety Cole Bishop in the 2nd round, adding more talent to the position group. With Bishop emerging and earning a depth spot on the field behind starters Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin, Edwards has found himself on the outside looking in, serving as a healthy scratch for a majority of the season so far. With his services not being needed, Edwards has had his request to be released granted in hopes of getting a role with another team.
Edwards' release says a lot about how general manager Brandon Beane feels about his roster and his defensive backs, who have largely been much more solid this year than many people expected them to be.
It's no surprise — if there's one thing that head coach Sean McDermott can be counted on, it's coaching up defensive players to step up and outplay expectations. Hamlin and Rapp have had their warts this season, but every player does. Largely, they are consistently in position, are tackling well, and are where they need to be in coverage.
The release of Edwards might say the most about Bishop. The Bills have elected essentially all season to trust Bishop as a healthy backup should something happen to Hamlin or Rapp, opting for the athletic and intuitive rookie over the likes of the veteran knowledge and experience of Edwards.
Bishop still has plenty of growing to do in the NFL, but Buffalo is excited about his long-term upside. The more reps they can get him, the more they will see him progress, and the more they will see the game start slowing down as he continues to adjust to the NFL.
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