Raiders trading veteran wide receiver to NFC South team

The Raiders traded third-year wide receiver Bryan Edwards to the Atlanta Falcons on Friday, condensing what had become a crowded wide receiver room.

The move also is another indictment on the team’s 2020 draft, which will go down as one of the worst in franchise history.

The Raiders will send a 2023 seventh-round draft pick to Atlanta and getting back the Falcons’ 2023 fifth-round pick.

Edwards was a third-round pick by the Raiders from South Carolina. In three seasons he caught 45 passes for 764 yards and four touchdowns. That includes the 34 catches he had last year for 571 yards and three touchdowns.

The numbers, though, never quite rose to the level the Raiders had hoped upon investing a third-round pick in him. The trade for Davante Adams in March, combined with the free-agent additions of Demarcus Robinson, Mack Hollins and Keelan Cole made Edwards expendable.

His departure is the latest in a string of 2020 draft picks that are no longer on the team. Of the seven-player class only fourth-round picks John Simpson (guard) and Amik Robertson (cornerback) are on the roster.

Meanwhile, first-round picks Henry Ruggs and Damon Arnette were both released last season after controversial off-field incidents and third rounders Edwards, Lynn Bowden and Tanner Muse have been traded or released. In the case of Muse and Bowden, neither played a regular-season down for the Raiders.

Robinson, Cole and Hollins will compete for the bulk of playing time alongside Adams and Hunter Renfrow, the two starting wide receivers. Tight end Darren Waller is versatile enough to line up all over the field, and the Raiders are expected to be a heavy two tight end team under coach Josh McDaniels.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.