Key for Bills’ Edwards is staying healthy

By Connor Byrne  |   Tuesday, May 27, 2008  |  Comments( 40 )

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Ask a number of Buffalo Bills fans what their greatest concern is regarding second-year quarterback Trent Edwards, and the majority will probably tell you it's his arm strength (or supposed lack of it). After stepping in for J.P. Losman last season, Edwards started nine games and demonstrated a great deal of poise, intelligence and maturity for a rookie passer, but some were dissatisfied with Edwards' perceived inability to throw the ball downfield. Of course, in reality the issue wasn't that Edwards, who threw seven touchdowns against eight interceptions, couldn't get the ball deep; rather, it was that he couldn't do it as effectively as Losman, who has among the strongest arms in the NFL but has shown in 31 career starts that he possesses none of the intangibles Edwards does.

While some fans are worrying about Edwards' arm, the fact is they ought to be pinpointing their concern on the 24-year-old's durability -- or lack thereof. Ever since the Los Gatos, Calif., native was at Stanford, where he struggled to compile wins on terrible Cardinal teams, he's had an immense amount of difficulty staying healthy for an entire season. Edwards started for Stanford between 2003 and 2006, but he only completed one full season ('05). During that fortunately healthy campaign, Edwards impressed by tossing 17 touchdowns and only seven picks. Aside from that year, though, the third-round pick of the Bills from 2007 regularly found himself on the sideline because of various ailments, including a broken foot.

Sadly for Edwards, injuries have so far helped characterize his pro career. Last season, in fact, after he was named the starter over the floundering Losman in October, the 6-foot-4, 231-pounder severely injured his wrist in a Week 8 win over the New York Jets. As a result, Edwards didn't see the field again until Week 13. Luckily, though, he managed to remain healthy after returning, starting Buffalo's final five games of the season and accumulating a 2-3 record.

Going into the 2008 season, Edwards is being counted on by many fans to be somewhat of a savior for the Bills. The last time they had a QB whose effective play was sustained over the course of an entire season was Doug Flutie, who regularly led the team to victory during the latter part of the 1990s. Of course, the last time the Bills made a playoff appearance was '99, when Flutie was steering the ship; since then, the franchise has gone eight embarrassing, painful years in a row without making a trip to the postseason, and that's because it hasn't found a worthy quarterback. Futility of that ilk has only been attained by other lowly organizations like the Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions during that same time period.

It seems fair to say Edwards possesses the tools to become a high-level signal-caller in the NFL and lead Buffalo back to the Promised Land known as the playoffs. The question is: Can he stay off the injury report and under center on a consistent basis? Fortunately for Bills fans, Edwards seems committed.

"I really have a lot of respect for what he's done in the offseason," Bills head coach Dick Jauron said at organized team activities last week. "He's gotten bigger and stronger."

Edwards, who spent the offseason bulking up, appears ready for the challenge; and with an improving offensive line that allowed a franchise-best 26 sacks last season, so do the Bills.

*E-mail: cbyrne@realfootball365.com
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CommentsComments: 40  |  Sign Up  View all comments
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No.1
8and8Forever		08:01 AM
05/27/2008
I believe Losman can win in relief. In fact, that is probably going to be his role in the league. Now I do not want to see TE...
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No.2
08:28 AM
05/27/2008
Edwards' health is the same as any one who plays the game. He could get knocked out of a game as fast as Poz did last year. His...
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No.3
08:31 AM
05/27/2008
8&8;: I 100% agree with you. I trust that JP has the ability to come off the bench + he will be motivated to show he can do it...
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