Over the last few weeks Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans have been calling for the team to make some sort of move to try and spark a roster that is trending in the wrong direction. Despite nearly coming away with wins in their last three games, the Bucs are losers of four straight and head into their bye week sitting at 4-6 and on the brink of total disaster.
No trades were made at the deadline to add talent, and the team had so far passed on dipping into the bargain bin for discarded parts that other teams didn't want. That changed on Thursday, when the Bucs finally made a roster move that doubled as a reunion with an old friend.
Mike Edwards has twice been released this season -- first by the Bills and most recently by the Titans -- and if it happens a third time it will be by his old team. The Bucs claimed Edwards off waivers in a move that hopefully provides the spark Todd Bowles' defense so badly needs.
Buccaneers reuniting with Mike Edwards comes at the exact perfect time
Bringing Edwards back is less about filling a position of need and more about getting the vibes right. He was a key piece of a defense that helped win a Super Bowl back in 2020 and he brings with him championship experience from Steve Spagnuolo system as well.
It's easy to point to Edwards being released twice this year as a potential reason to not get too excited about his return, but his stints in Buffalo and Tennessee are missing crucial context. Edwards is coming back to a familiar system, and he's reuniting with a safety room that was one of the best in the league the last time the band was together.
Jordan Whitehead also returned to Tampa Bay this past offseason, although the reults have been a mixed bag. There's no guaruntee that Edwards will suddenly make things better, but the move proves that the Bucs are trying to leave no stone unturned in righting the ship out of the bye.
Edwards will have the bye to assimilate back into Bowles' defense and hopefully hit the ground running in Week 12 against the Giants. He doesn't fill a need at linebacker or pass rusher, but he's at the bare minimum a vibes signing and one that could end up paying off as the Bucs attempt to turn things around in the second half of their season.
