JUST IN: Bills Sign 28-years old key star player on Major Free-Agent Acquisition

It will take some more time before the Buffalo Bills can assess the performance of their recent free-agent addition, Mike Edwards, on the field. Edwards, who joined the team in March as a safety, was anticipated to vie for a starting position. However, he has been dealing with a persistent shoulder injury, evident by him wearing a sling during the team’s practice on May 28. Despite Bills head coach Sean McDermott’s prior caution that it might be a few weeks before Edwards could fully participate in live practices, the recent images suggest that he still has a considerable recovery journey ahead.

Mike Edwards Has Yet to Practice

Alaina Getzenberg, an ESPN reporter, shared an image on Tuesday showing Mike Edwards walking onto the practice field with a sling on his shoulder. Despite the Buffalo Bills commencing OTAs this month, Edwards has not been able to participate thus far.

McDermott had previously mentioned that Mike Edwards was still grappling with the effects of his injury but was expected to regain full health before the start of training camp this summer.

“I should add Mike’s dealing with a little bit of a shoulder [injury] right now for the next three to four weeks. Beyond that, he’s been a good addition to our team,” McDermott informed reporters on May 21, according to SI.com.

Meanwhile, the Bills have been contending with other defensive injuries, such as linebacker Matt Milano, who is still undergoing rehabilitation for a leg fracture sustained in October. McDermott hasn’t provided as clear a timeline for Milano’s return but expressed confidence that he would be back in time for training camp.

McDermott conveyed via the team’s official website, “The word I’ve received from our training staff is that he’s on schedule. Matt’s here every day. I can tell you that he’s working hard. It’s probably going to be closer to training camp until we see him out there, maybe some drill work before that, maybe not. It’ll just depend on how he continues to progress at this point.”

Big Role for New Safety

With the departures of longtime players Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, Edwards has the opportunity to step into the safety role for the Buffalo Bills. While Hyde has contemplated returning for another season in Buffalo, CBS Sports pointed out that Edwards could still be in contention for the starting position, even if Hyde decides to come back.

The report noted, “After signing a one-year deal in March, Edwards has a good chance of starting at free safety with Buffalo having thus far not made an effort to re-sign longtime secondary mainstay Micah Hyde, who is currently without a team and is a question mark to return to football due to long-time neck issues. Even if Hyde does return to the Bills, the younger and healthier Edwards may be the team’s preferred starter anyway.”

Coming from a season with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he recorded 51 total tackles, one interception, and five pass defenses, Edwards brings valuable experience to the Bills’ defense. Additionally, he showcased his playmaking ability with two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown.