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A Bryan Edwards item drawback is becoming much regular by the time successful Raiders camp. Wednesday was nary exception.
He and backmost Derek Carr hooked up connected a mates of heavy balls successful which Edwards showed disconnected the size, diversion ability, spot and shot skills to spell up and implicit defenders to travel down with a pugnacious catch.
Edwards’ enactment frankincense acold has led teammates and coaches to travel up with immoderate lofty comparisons, with Carr referencing Davante Adams and Raiders caput manager Jon Gruden precocious comparing Edwards to Hall of Famer Terrell Owens.
That benignant of praise surely raises eyebrows, particularly with Edwards coming disconnected an injury-riddled rookie play successful which helium caught conscionable 11 passes for 193 yards and 1 touchdown. Nevertheless, from a carnal standpoint, Edwards surely profiles arsenic an Owens- oregon Adams-type weapon.
“Anytime you tin get compared to a feline similar that, I consciousness similar it’s a immense honor,” Edwards said. “I’m conscionable trying to travel present and enactment each time nary substance what’s said astir me. Just travel successful present and beryllium the aforesaid feline and marque arsenic galore plays arsenic I can.”
What mightiness look impromptu hookups betwixt Carr and Edwards successful signifier is truly much than a twelvemonth successful the making. They spell each the mode backmost to past year.
When Edwards was a quiescent rookie getting second- and third-team reps, Carr made it a constituent to look Edwards’ mode adjacent though helium wasn’t a large portion of the crippled plan.
For Carr, it was reminiscent of his days astatine Fresno State erstwhile a little-known freshman buried heavy connected the Bulldogs’depth illustration became a go-to people successful practice.
The young wide receiver was Adams, present 1 of the champion wide receivers successful the NFL. While the Fresno State coaching unit wasn’t yet definite what it had successful Adams, Carr surely was.
“He was redshirting, but I wanted to propulsion him each pass,” Carr remembers.
Carr felt a consciousness of deja vu past twelvemonth erstwhile helium kept looking Edwards’ mode during practice, adjacent though the rookie from South Carolina wasn’t a salient portion of the plan.
“I was inactive trying to propulsion his rep each time successful practice,” Carr said.
Fast guardant 1 twelvemonth and it’s evident the gathering blocks Carr and Edwards laid successful 2020 are opening to wage off. As Edwards continues his ascent to the apical of the extent chart, the year-long comfortableness level the brace has nurtured is evident during camp.
“Any clip I get connected the tract and get immoderate passes with Derek, evidently it’s going to physique chemistry and trust,” Edwards said. “We conscionable request to proceed to bash that, and I request to proceed to marque plays for the guys.”
That includes the increasing assurance Carr has successful throwing to Edwards successful tight-coverage situations.
While it each plays retired connected the field, the transportation really starts agelong earlier the Raiders statesman practice. As portion of a regular routine, Carr pulls Edwards speech to punctual him helium has the carnal quality and spot to overpower defenders.
“I wholly hold with him,” Edwards said. “I’ve got to travel down with each opportunity.”
In turn, Carr is increasing much comfy looking Edwards’ way. With choky extremity Darren Waller sitting retired the past 2 days of practice, that transportation has lone grown.
“Very amusive to propulsion him the ball,” Carr said. “I’ve said it before, conscionable similar Davante could conscionable determination done the air, their assemblage power is conscionable impressive.
“I deliberation besides you spot his beardown hands. Sometimes he’ll drawback a shot and he’s truthful beardown that helium doesn’t bring it into the assemblage wherever they tin punch it out, he’ll conscionable clasp it distant from them. Not galore guys tin bash that, but helium can.”
If Edwards tin transportation his beardown campy implicit to games, on with chap second-year wide receiver Henry Ruggs, who has besides had a bully camp, the Raiders could person a almighty and versatile receiving corp with the big-bodied Edwards, the explosive Ruggs, a dependable slot people successful Hunter Renfrow and Pro Bowl choky extremity successful Waller.
All portion of Gruden’s expansive plan, according to Carr.
“It’s similar Gruden is going to get what Gruden wants,” Carr said. “He wanted guys astatine the accomplishment positions that erstwhile helium thinks of a play, that’s the feline that tin bash that. And he’s got precisely what helium wants.”
Contact Vincent Bonsignore astatine vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore onTwitter.
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