Raiders receiver Bryan Edwards is ready to take the next step

He had just 11 catches as a rookie

Bryan Edwards knows his rookie NFL season wasn’t up to par, but instead of dwelling on the disappointment, he is looking forward to making strides in 2021.

“I mean last year is last year, I can’t change that. I had some injuries and things like that,” Edwards last week’s at the Las Vegas Raiders’ minicamp. “My main focus this year is just being the best person I can be for this team and trying to stay healthy and make as many plays as I can … It definitely was a process and it obviously was frustrating. Anytime I’m not getting the results I want to get, I’m frustrated and I’m trying fix it. But Rome wasn’t built in one day. All good things take time, and I’m just trusting the process.”

The Raiders took Edwards in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft out of South Carolina. The plan was that he was going to a starter for the entire rookie season. He is a big, athletic, game-breaking talent.

But Edwards suffered an ankle injury early and could never truly get going. He finished with just 11 receptions in 12 games.

The Raiders, who are still very high on Edwards, will give him the same chance to be an impact starter this year. He just needs to show he is up to to the task. After having the OTA and season and minicamp cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Edwards was thrilled to attend his first NFL offseason program this year.

“With not having an offseason last year and having the first offseason this year, for the first part of it, I kind of did feel like a rookie again,” Edwards said. “But, I’m kind of finding my pace now.”

If Edwards can make the impact he was expected to when drafted, it will give the Las Vegas offense yet another dimension.