Antuan Edwards

[rblevens]

BY TOM E. CURRAN
Journal Sports Writer



Looking to add a little flexibility to their defensive backfield, the Patriots had free-agent Antuan Edwards in yesterday for a visit.

Edwards, a former first-round pick who finished last season with the St. Louis Rams, has never really lived up to the promise he had as a safety coming out of Clemson in 1999. The Green Bay Packers made him the 25th overall pick that season, but a series of injuries curtailed his usefulness there.

Last April, Edwards (who has played both strong and free safety and cornerback in nickel defenses) signed with the Dolphins. He was let go by Miami when Dave Wannstedt was fired, but the Rams quickly picked him off the scrap heap and put him to work.

Edwards, 27, had his most productive game of the year with 10 tackles in the Rams' blowout loss to Atlanta in an NFC Divisional Playoff game.

As a rookie, Edwards played in all 16 games, but then injuries encroached. He had a sprained knee in 2000, tore ligaments in the same knee in 2001, broke his forearm in 2002, then hurt his hamstring on Thanksgiving Day 2003.

He signed last year with the Dolphins for a little more than the veteran minimum and probably will be looking at a similar offer from New England. The Patriots seem to be stockpiling players, promising opportunities and then watching to see how things shake out between now and September. The main safeties on the roster include starters Rodney Harrison and Eugene Wilson and second-year players Guss Scott and Dexter Reid . At corner, the team has Tyrone Poole, Duane Starks, Asante Samuel and Randall Gay .

It's a nice mix of youth and experience. Adding Edwards would give the Pats depth at both corner and -- more importantly -- safety.


rblevens wrote - This would be interesting.

RCB - Poole, Gay
LCB - Starks, Samuel
SS - Harrison, Reid
FS - Wilson, Scott, Edwards, DON DAVIS(ILB)

Samuel=NB Gay=DB

I would love to sign Edwards and then draft a corner in the second or fourth rounds...that would be 5 CB's, 5 S's...and Davis...idk...Edwards can also play CB so idk...

Your thoughts?
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