3 reasons to love the Buffalo Bills' signing of Mike Edwards
By Joe Cook
Reason 2: The Buffalo Bills can and should still draft a safety
One of the reasons the Bills have been able to remain one of the top teams in the league year in and year out, is because of the good drafting by Brandon Beane and his staff. The recipe for sustained success in the NFL is to draft, develop, and re-sign, especially when you find perfect fits for your system. The Bills have been doing that for years now. They will get their crack at doing that with a safety this year since they haven’t had to yet.
Edwards only signed a one-year deal with a base value of $2.8 million, and the ability to get up to $4 million. It’s another bargain bin veteran deal that has become accustomed in Buffalo the last few years. It’s a great move all around.
Edwards gets the chance to show off in one of the most safety-friendly systems in the league and hit the free agency market next year for a possible big deal. The Bills get veteran insurance from a proven safety, is versatile, and can line up everywhere. It also allows the team to nab one of the top safety prospects in the draft like Kam Kinchens, or Javon Bullard, and not force them in right away.
They can ease them into the system and develop them for the long term. Also, with the value of the contract, if a rookie safety comes in and beats Edwards out, having a player like him as your third safety is top-notch depth. As we learned last year, the Bills like having three safeties who can get it done so they can play dime, which was successful last season, even while down a plethora of starters.