BUFFALO, N.Y. -- After moving on from pillars of the defense this offseason by releasing safety Jordan Poyer and cornerback Tre'Davious White, the Buffalo Bills added the first player to the secondary from outside the organization for 2024 by signing safety Mike Edwards to a one-year deal.
Edwards, who turns 28 in May, joins a safety room that includes Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin and Kendall Williamson. The two-time Super Bowl champion (Super Bowls LV and LVIII) spent last season with the Kansas City Chiefs, starting the past five regular-season games and four postseason games.
"The Bills culture. The coaching staff ... They sold me very well," Edwards said on why he signed. "Safety friendly, my position and the two guys [Poyer and Micah Hyde] they had, phenomenal over the past seven years ... I feel like I can come in and take over that role and try to get better and try to improve every week."
Before last year with Kansas City, Edwards played four seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team that drafted him in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft. He started the most games -- 12 -- of his career in 2022. Edwards has recorded eight interceptions, including three pick-sixes, in addition to five fumble recoveries with one fumble recovery for a touchdown. His four defensive touchdowns since 2021 are tied for the second-most (Darius Slay, four).
The safety room is one that is continuing to be built in the wake of Poyer signing with the Miami Dolphins following his release and Hyde remaining a free agent after sharing he would contemplate retirement this offseason. Edwards has lined up all over and could fill in Hyde's role, but the move does not signify that the team is done addressing the position as the Bills also have 11 picks in next month's draft.
"Hyde kind of took on that role, rangy guy, center fielder, so, I really, I used to study his film a lot, so I feel like I can have that, some type of traits that he had," Edwards said. "... Just roaming the backfield and trying to read the quarterback. I could also come in and blitz, play man-to-man, go be up in the box. So, I could do it all."