Mike Edwards signs one-year contract with Buffalo Bills

In Mike Edwards, the Bills find a replacement for Micah Hyde’s center field role on defense

Free-agent safety Mike Edwards has signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills, a day after news first broke of his visit with the team on Monday.

The Bills had been on a search to find a replacement for safety Micah Hyde — who manned what’s long been termed the free-safety (FS) role, acting as the center fielder on defense.

In Edwards, Buffalo lands a seasoned veteran with plenty of playoff experience as a two-time Super Bowl-winning safety for both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020 season) and Kansas City Chiefs (2023 season). The Bills were one of several teams who Edwards paid visits, ultimately choosing the opportunity in front of him with One Bills Drive.

The 5’10”, 210-pound, 27-year-old Edwards entered the NFL as a third-round pick of the Buccaneers in 2019. Last offseason, Edwards signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs. As noted on social media by Air Raid Buffalo in referring to Edwards as “a true split safety” — with KC he lined up as a free safety (346 snaps), strong safety (146 snaps), and slot corner (102 snaps).

Edwards brings plenty of experience to his next role with a team. With Kansas City, Edwards started five of the 17 games he appeared in. He compiled 51 tackles (32 solo), two tackles for loss, and one quarterback hit; adding five pass defenses, one interception, two fumble recoveries for 101 and one touchdown, and one sack.

In five NFL seasons, Mike Edwards has started 28 of the 75 games he appeared it, making 235 tackles (157 solo), nine tackles for loss, and four quarterback hits. Edwards also has a total of 26 pass defenses, eight interceptions for 195 yards with three touchdowns, one forced fumble, and five fumble recoveries and a touchdown, plus three sacks.

(stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference)

Throughout his career, Edwards has been variously listed as a strong safety, defensive back, free safety, then most recently and generally as a safety with the Chiefs. That speaks to his potential versatility in a system that covets such play, and no doubt seeks to find players of similar ability to both Hyde and Poyer.

At this stage, consider Edwards the odds-on-favorite to start at FS, in tandem with Taylor Rapp — who was re-signed in free agency and is in line to start at strong safety (Jordan Poyer’s former role). The potential still exists for the Buffalo Bills to draft a safety next month, but coming to terms with Mike Edwards ensures far more stability at free safety than they had 24 hours ago.