The Broncos never offered DL Dwan Edwards a contract because he didn't pass a physical for their team.

[broncofaninfla]

Edwards signs with Bills, Frank Walker weighing his options



http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/carrollcountytimes.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/4/fb/bf6/4fbbf6f8-3247-11df-b2f3-001cc4c002e0.preview-300.jpg?_dc=1268886771 (http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/sports/article_5856d42c-3247-11df-8048-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=image&photo=#1)AP Photo Former Raven Dwan Edwards speaks during a news conference Wednesday after he signed a four-year contract with the Bills.






Posted: Thursday, March 18, 2010 12:29 am | Updated: 1:58 am, Thu Mar 18, 2010.
By Aaron Wilson, Times Staff Writer | 0 comments (http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/sports/article_5856d42c-3247-11df-8048-001cc4c002e0.html#user-comment-area)
OWINGS MILLS - As former Baltimore Ravens defensive end Dwan Edwards officially signed his four-year, $18 million contract with the Buffalo Bills after agreeing to terms early Wednesday morning, veteran cornerback Frank Walker is exploring his options in free agency.
Walker has yet to garner a contract offer from the Ravens, who have informed his representatives that they want him back.
Meanwhile, Walker is in discussions with three teams. The Jacksonville Jaguars need cornerback depth and are one of the possibilities.
No deal is believed to be imminent, but Walker is drawing interest.
Walker, who announced on his Twitter account that he might be leaving Baltimore with an unnamed team interested in him, has remained in contact with the Ravens and still hopes to return.
"The conversation is ongoing with Baltimore and they have said they want him back," said Frank Murtha, Walker's agent. "We told them at the scouting combine that we are talking with other teams and we're not going to give them the right of first refusal. The train is warming up to leave the station."
Because Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb are recovering from anterior cruciate ligament tears, the Ravens need someone who can step in opposite Domonique Foxworth.
Although he has been extremely prone to pass interference and illegal contact penalties, Walker could fit in with Baltimore because of his size, speed and aggressive approach to the game. He also adds value as a special teams contributor.
The Ravens are expected to address the cornerback position in the draft, too.
Walker hasn't ruled out the possibility of returning.
"Hopefully I get to stay up there bc I love the guys and my coach is the best ever," Walker wrote on his Twitter account in reference to secondary coach Chuck Pagano.
Meanwhile, Edwards was introduced as a newly-minted Bill during a press conference. He had visited the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos, but didn't get offers because he didn't pass their physicals.
Edwards told the Times that the Ravens wanted him to have neck surgery after undergoing spinal fusion surgery two years ago where his C3 and C4 vertebrae were fused and his disc was removed with another surgically inserted from a cadaver.
However, he insists that he's healthy enough to play without a major risk. He said the Ravens wound up withdrawing an offer to him during the free agency process.
"They're getting a great player," Edwards told Buffalo reporters. "I'm glad they took a chance on me. It motivates me, definitely, that teams dropped interest. I'm looking forward to getting back on the field with some of these teams.
"I'm coming off playing 18 games and I played well. It definitely was a frustrating free-agent period and to get that label. There's nothing you can do about it, but I know I can play."
A former second-round draft pick from Oregon State, Edwards has an understated personality. He said he expects to emerge as a leader in Buffalo.
"You kind of take a back seat in Baltimore with all the great leaders we had," Edwards said. "But I think I really could be that guy. I don't want to come in here and start barking orders at guys. That's not my personality, but I think I'll show people the way I work and prepare. Hopefully, that can rub off on some young guys and I can pick up some things from them."
NOTES: Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison attended the University of Florida Pro Day workout where quarterback Tim Tebow was the object of the media attention. The Ravens were probably a lot more interested in the performance of tight end Aaron Hernandez, who ran the 40-yard dash between 4.56 and 4.61 seconds and bench-pressed 225 pounds 30 times. ... The Ravens have been mentioned as a potential candidate to play the New York Jets in a road Thanksgiving game. That game and other featured portions of the NFL schedule will be announced Monday at the owners meetings in Orlando, Fla. The entire schedule will be released in April.
Reach staff writer Aaron Wilson at 410-857-7896 or sports@carroll (sports@carroll)
countytimes.com (http://countytimes.com/).

[Buff]

Hearing that makes me feel better about the Jamal Williams signing. If McD/Xanders thought Williams' health was declining as much as the media seems to think then I doubt we would have offered him the deal that we did.

Plus, there's Peter King's analysis, which has already been posted but is worth mentioning again:



When he arrived in Denver for a visit last week, he weighed 334 (down about a dozen pounds from his playing weight, impressive for an offseason visit), and the Denver coaches who watched video of him in his last two years saw no sign of decline; neither did independent observers like Aaron Schatz of Footballoutsiders.com. If Williams is right, he'll be the perfect nose to draw double-teams, something Denver didn't have in 2009.

[rationalfan]

Hearing that makes me feel better about the Jamal Williams signing. If McD/Xanders thought Williams' health was declining as much as the media seems to think then I doubt we would have offered him the deal that we did.

Plus, there's Peter King's analysis, which has already been posted but is worth mentioning again:

for some reason it seems to be common knowledge that williams has bad knees. yet i don't remember williams' knees ever being a big issue until he left san diego this offseason. even my friends who are chargers fans didn't mention it until he was gone. it's as if they're rationalizing a huge loss.

[broncofaninfla]

Edwards failed physicals before Bills signed him (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/03/18/edwards-failed-physicals-before-bills-signed-him/)

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on March 18, 2010 12:22 PM ET
Defensive end Dwan Edwards visited the Broncos and Seahawks before signing a four-year contract with the Bills, but he never got a contract offer from them because of failed physicals (http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/sports/article_5856d42c-3247-11df-8048-001cc4c002e0.html).

PFT alum Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times has the news, which underscores what a risky signing it was for Buffalo. Baltimore also withdrew their offer to Edwards during the free agency process.

For the record, we think Edwards was a solid young player worth taking a risk on. He was able to play 18 games last season despite not undergoing neck surgery that the Ravens wanted in 2008. (He did undergo spinal fusion surgery.)

"I'm glad they took a chance on me," Edwards said about the Bills. "It motivates me, definitely, that teams dropped interest. I'm looking forward to getting back on the field with some of these teams."

[dogfish]

for some reason it seems to be common knowledge that williams has bad knees. yet i don't remember williams' knees ever being a big issue until he left san diego this offseason. even my friends who are chargers fans didn't mention it until he was gone. it's as if they're rationalizing a huge loss.

it probably hasn't been in the media much because i don't think he's missed much playing time due to the issue-- kinda like dewayne robertson playing for several years on a degenerative knee before it became common knowledge. . .

actually, IIRC the issue started years back (2001) when he tore an ACL after being blocked low by one of our OLs-- think it was nails, don't remember for sure. . . i know there's been concern about jamal's knees for a while now, and it's obviously exacerbated by his weight. . .

a brief search didn't turn up anything more specific than this, but be assured that it's a very real situation-- it's not some football board urban legend. . . here's some documentation:


Jamal Williams, who is slated to have surgery performed on both knees, has yet to go under the knife. This is disconcerting news for the Chargers defense, as no timeline has been set for Williams’ post-op recovery.

The Chargers played their last game nearly two months ago and knew immediately after the season that Williams’ chronic knee pain would have to be addressed in the offseason. So what’s the holdup?

“It’s just a matter of being scheduled,” A.J. Smith said. “A lot of these guys go out there for two or three opinions. We want it done right after the season, but you’ve got agents and players who take their time to get opinions. They cross it over and they pick a date.”

Williams is expected to submit to surgery in the very near future but no date has been set. Ted Cottrell will have to cross his fingers and hope the cornerstone of his defense will be ready to hit the field on opening day.

Mar 2008

http://sdg.scout.com/2/738725.html


Jamal Williams is the key cog in San Diego's defense. He's responsible for shutting down the run, keeping the linebackers clean and collapsing the pocket. Williams, 33, is also playing on two bad knees and without a legitimate backup. If I were building this team, I'd look to address that issue between now and training camp.


Ask anyone in the Chargers locker room and they will all give you the same answer: The defense will only go as far as Jamal Williams can carry it.

"He's just so solid inside it's hard to run the football when he's in the middle," said Norv Turner of Williams.

The concern is how far Williams can carry the unit given his increasing age and lingering knee pain. Turner did his best to help last season, giving Williams Wednesdays off to keep him fresher late into the season, but Williams still labored for much of the year and missed the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2005.

Williams returns another year older and with another year of wear and tear on his knees. And while there is no doubt he has another dominant season left in his 6-foot-3, 348-pounds frame, there is cause for concern as to what would happen if Williams finally breaks down.

May 2009

http://sdg.scout.com/2/866523.html


DT Jamal Williams: One more season?
by Scout.com of SDBoltReport.com, September 18, 2008 at 11:14am ET

Jamal Williams Profile

DT Jamal Williams (knees) didn't practice and that will be the norm through the season. The Chargers are trying to get one more season out of his achy knees. When he is on the sidelines, Ryon Bingham and Brandon McKinney fill in.


DT Jamal Williams: Knocking off the rust
by Scout.com of SDBoltReport.com, September 11, 2008 at 11:34am ET

Jamal Williams Profile

DT Jamal Williams will hopefully have knocked off his rust and will contribute more on Sunday. Williams, a Pro Bowler, didn't look like his usual self against the Panthers. The Chargers are crossing their fingers his aching knees can handle another full season.

i found multiple reports of arthroscopic procedures, but nothing else besides the ACL surgery, and nothing more specific on the condition. . . i would assume that it's a degenerative condition, it's been chronic for years now. . . he's been able to play through it in the past-- he hasn't had the same lateral movement the past few years, but he's still immensely strong and difficult to move out of the A gaps, so hopefully he will continue to hold up and can give us a year or two to develop a younger NT. . .

i thought fields was fine last year until he wore down during the stretch, and i would expect that he'd be used in heavy rotation to keep both of them fresh. . . if we're planning on using williams more than 25-30 snaps per game, i'd say we're probably relying on him too much. . .


sorry for the off-topic. . .

[rationalfan]

dogfish: thanks. it's refreshing to see a post with sourced facts.

[arapaho2]

i was concerned before we got him..but seeing him come in under wieght..and hearing the fact were not asking a every down full season from him but 15-20 plays a game..he will be fine

[Ziggy]

The Jamal Williams incident with Denver was a dislocated ankle, not a knee injury. It was Steve Herndon that actually took him out with a cheap shot. Shanahan called him and apologized to him later in the week. I understand Williams age and injury history, but a very good -great nost tackle is quite a bit harder to find than a very good- great defensive end.

I'd rather have Williams, because I think he can still dominate for 2 downs every series. He was also the leader and heart of that San Diego defense while he was there. He's pissed that San Diego cut him to save the bonus money, and he's out to prove that it was a mistake. He will. Much like Dawkins, I would have rather had him 7 or 8 years ago, but I think he'll still be a huge factor. This is my favorite signing of the offseason.

A great 3-4 defense starts with the NT according to Joe Collier. The Broncos now have chance to move up a notch on defense. With the depth we now have along the defensive line, we might be able to actually have a season without a complete collapse in the 2nd half like we've had over the last 7 or 8 years.

[TXBRONC]

With the signing of Williams I wonder if that means that nose tackle is out as possibility for the draft?

[Lancane]

With the signing of Williams I wonder if that means that nose tackle is out as possibility for the draft?

More then likely, at least for this year. We have Williams, Fields and Baker, I think a true 3-4 end would be more of a priority at this time, a playmaker. Next to that the offensive line should be like wise important.

[LTC Pain]

With the signing of Williams I wonder if that means that nose tackle is out as possibility for the draft?

How many NTs will McDaniels carry on the roster? I'd still like to see what Baker can do. But if Dan Williams is available at #11 I hope we take him.

[Ziggy]

Fields is in the last season of his contract, and I'm not sure what the staff thinks of Baker. I wouldn't be surprised to see any position drafted on this team, including QB.

[TXBRONC]

How many NTs will McDaniels carry on the roster? I'd still like to see what Baker can do. But if Dan Williams is available at #11 I hope we take him.

Last year we carried three. Fields, Baker, and Thomas but only Fields and Thomas accumulated playing time.

[dogfish]

Fields is in the last season of his contract, and I'm not sure what the staff thinks of Baker. I wouldn't be surprised to see any position drafted on this team, including QB.

watch us take germaine gresham at #11 to replace sheffler. . . . :heh:

[TXBRONC]

watch us take germaine gresham at #11 to replace sheffler. . . . :heh:

Dog, you are a twisted man. :tsk:

[dogfish]

Dog, you are a twisted man. :tsk:

believe me, i know it all too well. . . :lol:

[Dean]

A great 3-4 defense starts with the NT according to Joe Collier. The Broncos now have chance to move up a notch on defense. With the depth we now have along the defensive line, we might be able to actually have a season without a complete collapse in the 2nd half like we've had over the last 7 or 8 years.


No, you must be wrong. :confused: Last year Nolan assured us that the defense starts with the D-backs.











Yeah. . . I thought it was BS, too.

[TXBRONC]

Fields is in the last season of his contract, and I'm not sure what the staff thinks of Baker. I wouldn't be surprised to see any position drafted on this team, including QB.

Last year the coaching staff thought enough of him to leave him on the active roster rather than put him on the practice squad because they thought Baker would never clear waivers. However, that doesn't mean they haven't soured on him.

[haroldthebarrel]

imho you can never get enough quality d-linemen. Look what the Giants did while they had Strahan. They just rotated them well as well as putting Kiwanuka at SAM.

This draft is so strong on defensive line talent. Which is very rare. You got to draft them when it is good. Neither do I think you force for position in the draft. Play the positions of strenght unless you really dont have need for them.
Point to recall is the D-will draft where we got three cbs who turned out to become starters. That draft war not all that good overall, but it did have great talent at cb who made several fall. The same thing should happen in this draft to an extent with the linemen.