The Bills have erased some of the cloudiness at the quarterback position. The team announced Monday that Trent Edwards has been released.
Chan Gailey will be available for comment later in the day. Edwards was demoted to second-string duties early last week. His replacement, Ryan Fitzpatrick, led the Bills to 23 points at New England Sunday (a C.J. Spiller kick return touchdown added seven more).
The end of the Edwards era in Buffalo marks the end in one of the great all-time displays of mediocrity. In his three-plus years with the team, Edwards completed 60.9 percent of his throws, threw 25 touchdowns vs. 27 interceptions and generated a passer rating of 76.8.
Edwards was a third-round draft choice out of Stanford. Thanks to a strong endorsement from the legendary Bill Walsh, many thought he’d evolve into a fantastic system quarterback. That, obviously, never materialized. Edwards’ inability to make multiple reads and push the ball downfield proved to be far more than simple youthful inexperience.
It wasn’t always a bleak outlook for the touch-passer. Edwards led the Bills to a 4-0 start in 2008. But he suffered a nasty concussion in a Week 5 loss at Arizona. He came back for the next game (a Week 7 matchup against the Chargers) but was never the same that season. Since then, Edwards hasn’t been willing to hit the check-down receiver – he’s been eager to hit the check-down receiver.
Some team will undoubtedly sign the veteran as a backup. (And we’ll assume the Raiders will, at some point, give him a shot to come back to Cali and be the long-term franchise quarterback.) Edwards’ NFL career is only over in Buffalo.
Fitzpatrick will remain the Bills starter in 2010. Brian Brohm is now the backup (or, as they should call it in Buffalo, the next trial starter).
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