Oakland Raiders: 6 Players under the most pressure during offseason program
DL, Mario Edwards Jr.
Defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. came into the league as a 2015 second-round pick with questions about his desire to perform at his best. Former head coach Jack Del Rio called it “senioritis” when he came out of Florida State.
Three years later, we’re left wanting more from Edwards when he’s healthy. The 24-year old has played 30 out of a possible 48 games. A neck injury during his rookie year and a hip ailment in 2016 kept him off the field. Last year, he showed flashes again as a decent run-stopper and also logged 3.5 sacks.
Still, there’s some mystery left to Edwards’ full potential. Did we see the best in him or does he have more to show us?
NFL Insider Adam Caplan reported the Raiders’ plan to move Bruce Irvin to defensive end opposite Khalil Mack:
On the Raiders "My understanding is they're going to make some changes no one knows about, one of them is Bruce Irvin is mostly going to play Defensive End going forward." -Adam Caplan #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/ghtCsfmUC2
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) March 17, 2018
In the middle, second-round pick P.J. Hall and fifth-round selection Maurice Hurst will compete for a spot next to Justin Ellis. Where does this leave Edwards?
The fourth-year defensive lineman should have an opportunity to battle for a spot at 3-technique defensive end. The Raiders don’t plan on restricting Hurst during the offseason. It’s the Michigan product’s natural position.
After playing 5-technique defensive end at Florida State, Edwards has lined up in various spots in Oakland. He could fall into a reserve role, which would cap his production in a critical contract year.