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Sunday was a breakout performance, if you will, for rookie wide receiver Bryan Edwards. The third-round pick from South Carolina missed a lot of time this offseason with a broken foot and suffered another lower-body injury earlier in the season.
But in Week 17, Edwards had the best game of his career, catching two passes for 51 yards and one touchdown. His touchdown grab was the first of his career in the NFL and it was certainly an impressive snag.
On a perfectly thrown back-shoulder fade, Edwards was able to make the catch through contact and get his feet inbounds. His size, physicality and body control is why the Raiders thought so highly of him during the 2020 NFL Draft.
After the game, head coach Jon Gruden spoke about his rookie receivers, specifically Edwards. He believes Edwards could be a special player in the NFL, despite a so-so rookie season.
Jon Gruden on Bryan Edwards: "He's going to be a great one. He's going to be a heck of a player. He's got a lot of the intangibles off-the-field that we're looking for. We think we've got two good young receivers (Ruggs III and Edwards) and we're excited about them." #Raiders
— Anthony Galaviz (@agalaviz_TheBee) January 4, 2021
Going into the 2021 offseason, it’s going to be fascinating to see how the Raiders handle their wide receiver room. Do they continue to let Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards develop or do they bring back Nelson Agholor after a monster season? We know Hunter Renfrow will continue to start in the slot, but outside of that, it’s all up in the air.
The Raiders are hoping that Edwards can grab and solidify one of those starting receiver spots in 2021. And if Week 17 was any indication, the sky is the limit for the former SEC star.
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