Falcons’ startling admission: Ray Edwards was a blunder
Here's Ray Edwards without pads. No reason to show him with pads -- he seldom used them. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
(Updated: 10:15 p.m.)
Say goodbye to one of the few significant personnel mistakes of the Thomas Dimitroff-Mike Smith era.
Defensive end Ray Edwards, the epitome of a free agent bust, was drop-kicked by the Falcons Monday night. How bad does a supposed high-profile player have to be for him to be found useless by two defensive coordinators (Brian VanGorder and Mike Nolan) in two seasons?
The Falcons alibied for Edwards last season, when he managed only 3.5 sacks after recording 16.5 the previous two seasons in Minnesota. They said he wasn’t healthy. There also were suggestions that he wasn’t being used right by the since-departed VanGorder.
Well, excuses apparently weren’t being accepted this season – and Nolan presumably was given a bigger hammer to swing than VanGorder.
Edwards had become a highly paid part-time player. He was brought in to help the pass rush. He devolved into early-down player to defend the run. He wasn’t even doing that well. This for a guy who was signed before last season to a five-year, $27.5 million contract (more than half of which fortunately never will make it into his pocket).
How much had Edwards disappeared? According to Football Outsiders, which tracks the total snap counts of every player, Edwards was in for only 14 plays total in Sunday’s game at New Orleans, and four of those came on special teams. He played on only 10 defensive snaps, which equated to 18 percent of the game.
Meanwhile, Nolan has found ways to use younger players in Edwards place and Kroy Biermann has been used in pass-rush situations and even dropped into coverage. Edwards’ days clearly were numbered.
There was a growing belief that if Nolan couldn’t find much use for him, Edwards would be gone after the season. He gave the impression he just didn’t care. Some wondered if he was putting greater effort into his modeling career. (Here’s a link to his 2012 Edwards’ modeling calendar. Not sure if they’re still $8.)
He also wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around for the media, not that a team would factor that into a personnel decision. Besides, by this point, nobody really wanted to talk to him anyway.
The fact the Falcons made this move now is remarkable for an NFL team just past the halfway point of the season. But if they are going to get pounded publicly for the signing, they should be credited for making such a bold move now. It’s actually a good sign that they were not going to let a problem fester and potentially ruin the season.
That said, signing him was a big mistake.
By Jeff Schultz
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152 comments Add your comment
Parshay
November 13th, 2012
1:13 am
Woah slow down ill take Matt Ryan over flacco. And if you start talkin bout playoff victories ima start talkin bout defenses. And the teams that beat us won the Super Bowl except Arizona. Are defense has been porous for years and Matt Ryan and that offense have still gotten a lot of wins.
Falcons release disappointing Ray Edwards
November 13th, 2012
3:17 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
ZACK
November 13th, 2012
3:24 am
CUT AT LAST…CUT AT LAST…THANK GOD ALMIGHTY THEY CUT HIS SORRY AZZ!!!
SLOW CHURNER TURNER SHOULD BE NEXT!!! YOU CAN FIND HIS FAT AZZ AT THE DUNKIN DONUTS NEAR MAGIC CITY!
inkspot
November 13th, 2012
4:01 am
It’s also a message to the guys on the team who ARE earning their paychecks. Keep up the good work Falcons!
Dirty-Bird of Paradise
November 13th, 2012
4:08 am
Good point Parshay. Flacco may have a more powerful arm, but the pocket presence and timing belong to Matt.
E
November 13th, 2012
4:24 am
The problem for the Falcons is that they are to loyal to players who does not produce because I know they have to see the same sh*t we see weekly during time watching film. I you look at it the Falcons are almost last in yards given up rushing and almost last rushing on offense.
P B Orr
November 13th, 2012
4:40 am
He was openly bad.
-drl
Falcons’ startling admission: Ray Edwards was a blunder
November 13th, 2012
5:19 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
jerry
November 13th, 2012
5:22 am
If Edwards was the least productive player, Turner has just moved up to least productive. It is a good sign by the franchise that poor performance won’t be tolerated, regardless of status.
mike
November 13th, 2012
5:37 am
Actually there is no Dunkin Donuts near Magic City so you can stop with that one lie. Falcants should get into the playoffs after which records does not count anymore only that you win and keep playing. Lets see how far they get or will it be the usual like all Atlanta teams. There certainly wont be the softees the Falcants have been playing this year.
Mike Franklin
November 13th, 2012
5:56 am
“Falcons’ startling admission: Ray Edwards was a blunder”
LOL! It wouldn’t be the first… Aundray Bruce is one that immediately comes to mind. But then too, so do other teams think they have landed the big fish and end up with just wet bait.
Try, try again.
Samuel
November 13th, 2012
6:00 am
Iv’e been clamoring for a long time to get this dude off the team. Who wants to put up with a hot head who couldn’t make a play. I read where he said he was stronger than John Abraham. But he came up short with technique and performance. He simply couldn’t wear John Abraham’s jock strap.
Falcon's 4 life
November 13th, 2012
6:08 am
Here comes ovie
Buddy Landel
November 13th, 2012
6:25 am
no mention of Ike Reese?
Buddy Landel
November 13th, 2012
6:28 am
re: Joe Flacco. Yes, he has more playoff wins, but please visit profootballreference.com and research his performance in playoff games. He averages like 170 yards per game, and that’s with a 300 yard performance (aided by checkdowns to Rice) in his most recent game.
Buddy Landel
November 13th, 2012
6:32 am
I just looked it up. In 9 career playoff games, Flacco has 8 TDs and 8 INTs. His career playoff passing rating is a 70.
ITown
November 13th, 2012
6:36 am
how ray going to pay for all that bling that lastarya still want? that chick got high dollar tastes and ray’s probably broke. the ATL needs to give him a couple of mil on the way out to take care of his woman.
Nativebird
November 13th, 2012
7:03 am
A “few” Dimitroff blunders? Hmm. Edwards, Pera Jerry, Sam Baker (1st rounders? Really), Hawley is a flat out joke, Chevis Jackson, Robert James, Garrett Reynolds, Mike Johnson, it goes on and on my friend. Dimitroff as it turns out is less the “guru” from New England and more the crapshooter in personnel as is everybody else. So let’s not paint this midget fast talker as some sort of great personnel guy.
Stepchild
November 13th, 2012
7:05 am
News blast….Chris Ivory won’t be the last running back to exploit that right side of the defense. After you get past the sub par Defensive End you will have the next free agent pickup to be released……No Tackling Assante Samuel. I’m still sick with the effort he put out on that Ivory td run.
Dunta'sOK
November 13th, 2012
7:09 am
Dunta is a solid corner back having a solid season. Might not be worth every dollar, but you pay a premium for free agents. Release him and what? Crisp Owens? Franks? Get real…
Jeff
November 13th, 2012
7:19 am
We should applaud the Falcons for having the guts to bring in a talent to address a critical need and the guts to let him go when it didn’t work out.
Who of us can say we’ve never been fooled in a hiring or a relationship ?
This is a good wake up call for Mr. Edwards as well.
Nativebird
November 13th, 2012
7:21 am
Agreed on Dunta…..actually one of the best tackling Corners weve ever had. Ask Eagle’s Desean Jackson if Dunta Robinson can’t tackle.
RunninWithTheDawgs
November 13th, 2012
7:29 am
I hope this means that either John Massaquoi or Cliff Mathews is showing a lot of promise and ready to step up. It’s funny now looking back you hardly ever heard Ray’s name or saw him in on many plays at all.
Escaped from Email Purgatory
November 13th, 2012
7:38 am
The number 93 has been disgraced an defiled – first Aundray Bruce, now Ray Edwards – two of biggest busts in franchise history.
The team should retire – no, make that burn – #93 jerseys adorned on the back with both ‘BRUCE’ and ‘EDWARDS’ and bury the ashes behind the utility shed in Flowery Branch.
Invite Taylor Smith to the ceremony.
Then somebody can close the proceedings with a few words – a very few words. How about limiting that number to the combined sack total for these two clods?
Aundray Bruce: the scourge of pizza delivery boys everywhere. Ray Edwards: aspiring model and the honorary Mayor of Magic City.
What a colossal waste of roster space these guys were. Good riddance.
Getaway
November 13th, 2012
7:48 am
The timing seems off. I know losing to the Saints sucks, but with the Bears and Giants losing and 49ers tying, the Falcons came out of this loss unscathed. I hope they’re not just weakening the bench just to send a message.
Maybe I’m just watching at the right time, but Sidbury seems to be in a lot of plays and I thought he had a good preseason. I wonder what it is that they don’t like about him.
Shouldn't have done all that acid in the 70's
November 13th, 2012
7:55 am
Man, I forgot about all the losers we’ve sign until reading this blog. What about Al Hroboski who we called Al “Real Lousy”? I was literally at Fulton County Stadium when he made his first appearance and after his dog and pony show on the mound stalked the batter when his first pitch was hammered deep over the fence in lfet field. And the beat goes on. Back to Edwards. The zoomed in on him for one play or 1/16th of the time he was on the field and he was doing NOTHING. The aint’s tacke was literally sitting in a lounge chair sipping a mint julip. Good riddance. Hasta le vista, Baby. Go model. If you’d rather hang around girly boys than play with men, see ya in the garmet district. Fugg off.
Coach D
November 13th, 2012
8:03 am
Getting the attention off of Hawley saying it’s not the 0-lines’ fault & the fat a Michael Turner’s lack of productivity…. Oh well, hope we get the pass rush rolling before New Orleans comes into town!
Coach D
November 13th, 2012
8:03 am
Getting the attention off of Hawley saying it’s not the 0-lines’ fault & the fat a Michael Turner’s lack of productivity…. Oh well, hope we get the pass rush rolling before New Orleans comes into town!
Peter
November 13th, 2012
8:06 am
Well this organization did send a message.no matter who you are, winning is #1 and if you are not 110% committed……then maybe you need to go some place else.
Tommy
November 13th, 2012
8:07 am
For all you yelling about Dunta Robinson being next, he is actually a very good NFL CB.
Have to think this move was meant to be a message to some other underperforming, high-paid players (*cough*michaelturner*cough*) and this may wake a few guys up
DILLIGAF
November 13th, 2012
8:09 am
Jeff,
You should have used the picture of Ray posing in his lacy drawers for that photoshoot that he did. I think he’s better suited for posing in girls panties than playing football.
He needs to take that worthless loser, Dunta with him.
Good riddance!
GSATA!
UGA85′
Hanly
November 13th, 2012
8:14 am
Dunta isn’t much better.
Jeffro Bodeen
November 13th, 2012
8:27 am
My guess is that Michael Turner’s franchise records are the only thing that kept him from getting a ticket out of town as well…..That, and the fact he can’t drive himself off the property at this time….wait till the cab pulls up to the front door at Suwanee!!!
Rick
November 13th, 2012
8:31 am
If grimes didn’t get hurt, dunta would be gone too. And pleeaaaseee take mr dui turner with ray.
Go Jackets
November 13th, 2012
8:41 am
These guys dont know how good they have it. He will know in about 3 years when hes broke. I know hanging out with strippers isnt good for his 401k.
Go Falcons
November 13th, 2012
8:52 am
Enter your comments here
Go Falcons
November 13th, 2012
8:53 am
I think his girlfriend will dump him when she finds out he got fired.
Thomas Brown
November 13th, 2012
8:58 am
Ray Edwards played with the Vikings forever, then we picked him up – after starting only 18 games at Purdue, like that is any place to football in college and only start 18 games his entire time there. He is very slow at 4.81 in the 40-yard dash, yet is under-sized by 30 lbs. 6′ 4″ only 268 lbs. Despite playing EVERY GAME for 7 seasons after being drafted with pick # 127 in the draft out of Purdue college, he has a grand total of only 169 tackles in 100 games. $ 30 million dollars ? 11 million guaranteed ? What a guy Arthur Blank was to him for too long, including why at all ever ? Ray Edwards should stick to boxing where maybe his steroids are ok.
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Yes. (55%, 637 Votes)
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Total Voters: 1,154
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Told you so.
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JSS
November 13th, 2012
8:59 am
Excluding Davenpoop (that never gets old), there’s a load hooey being dropped by usual suspects! The boy genius stikes again! From over rated ex college quarterback like Meier, busts like Jerry, or reaches like Dent, it’s just more plaster girl on the phone
Statick
November 13th, 2012
9:05 am
“There was a growing belief that if Nolan couldn’t find much use for him, Edwards would be gone after the season. He gave the impression he just didn’t care.”
A-HA. That was my first inclination in that he had a f***ed-up attitude. Good riddance, fool. Good luck in the underwear biz. Next stop: gay porn.
JSS
November 13th, 2012
9:08 am
I owe Nativebird an apology, he gets it…
PMC
November 13th, 2012
9:08 am
I like the newer trimmer, take no prisoners Comrade.
Jimmy Crack
November 13th, 2012
9:12 am
And a bad locker room guy to boot…Good move for the overall health of the team. It’s always a healthy thing to release unwanted waste.
SeenThisB4
November 13th, 2012
9:13 am
LOL!
Love all the irrational justification around here.
PMC
November 13th, 2012
9:13 am
This is evidence of progress, seriously. They are coming along. Baker is having his best year, Biermann is having his best year.
Mistakes don’t bother me as much some guys just don’t fit, and by and large the results in the regular season have been excellent. Edwards was brought in for a reason that he has not even begun to fulfill. It’s time to fish here, not cut bait. The guy on that end needs to be beating his man, not getting pushed backwards.
PMC
November 13th, 2012
9:14 am
Nice to see you back Seen, I was wondering where you were over the first 5 weeks.
Thomas Brown
November 13th, 2012
9:20 am
Typical blog on Falcons with 4 Falcons’ fans posting about nothing.
Banned by Mark Bradley
November 13th, 2012
9:21 am
Dunta Robinson is next.
Falcons Chic
November 13th, 2012
9:22 am
Like the use of the well-honed ax here…
Banned by Mark Bradley
November 13th, 2012
9:25 am
Tommy
November 13th, 2012
8:07 am
For all you yelling about Dunta Robinson being next, he is actually a very good NFL CB.
NFL? OK….Which version? The Madden video game, or the real NFL. The version I see is a player out of position most of the time who then tries to level the big hit and ends up missing the tackle.
I’ve seen enough of Dunta.