Edwards will fill role of third receiver against Jets
LATROBE – If nothing else, Troy Edwards is getting a fair shot. The former No. 1 pick has been rewarded for his fine work this summer by coach Bill Cowher, who named Edwards the Pittsburgh Steelers’ third receiver for Thursday night’s preseason opener against the New York Jets.
Cowher will use starters Hines Ward and Plaxico Burress at wide receiver to open the game, but instead of the designated slot receivers – second-round draft pick Antwaan Randle El and ballyhooed free-agent Terance Mathis – Cowher will use Edwards at flanker and move Ward into the slot in the three-receiver sets. Randle El will be the second slot receiver in the four-receiver sets.
Edwards, though, seems far from convinced that the move is permanent.
“Right now I’m there, but you never know when the season starts,” he said. “Stuff changes every time, so I really don’t get my hopes up too high around here.”
Edwards began last season as one of the Steelers’ slot receivers, but was moved to back-up flanker about a third of the way through the season. He finished with only 19 catches and did not catch a touchdown pass. His special-teams gaffe in the AFC Championship Game resulted in a New England Patriots touchdown, and the next day Edwards was put on the expansion list.
The Houston Texans passed on Edwards, and he had no choice but to try again with the Steelers. He said he entered training camp on the “outside looking in” but a solid performance thus far has revived his stock.
“I’m not going to give up. I’ll never give up,” said the four-year veteran. “I’ve been working you know. I’m in good shape this year. This the best I done felt. I’m ready to play this year.”
The move appears to be OK with Ward, who led the team with 94 catches last season.
“It’s going to help me out a lot,” Ward said. “I think it’s going to make me even a more polished route runner because in the slot you have to be able to run the underneath routes. But it also gives me another opportunity to catch the ball deeper down the field like Bobby did.”
Bobby Shaw led the Steelers last season in yards per catch, averaging 17 per each of his 24 receptions. When Shaw signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a free agent, the Steelers drafted Randle El and signed Mathis in the hope of filling the vacancy. That’s why Cowher’s decision yesterday surprised Ward, among others.
“I thought those guys would come in and be slots and I could just concentrate on (flanker),” Ward said. “But Troy’s had a productive camp. We got to put him in there somewhere. And Troy’s played the (flanker) position. By him playing (flanker), that moves me inside. With Troy, Plax and me, that’s a deadly three.”
Randle El is having an outstanding camp as well. Mathis has also played well, although he hasn’t been with the team long enough to have learned the nuances of the system. Edwards, though, doesn’t think anyone should take this move
“You never know around here,” Edwards said. “I finished the year starting punt returner and now I’m third string, so I just take it one day at a time.”
Cowher said the starters will play “a series or two” against the Jets and he hopes to play all four quarterbacks. The plan is for Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox to play the first half and Charlie Batch and Tee Martin to play the second half.
“I don’t want to say it’s an absolute but that’s kind of the plan going in,” Cowher said.
Rookie wide receiver Dallas Davis (hamstring) has been ruled out of the game. Safety Mike Logan (hamstring) is questionable.
Davis and Logan missed Monday’s practice, which was cut short by a thunderstorm. Also missing practice with minor ailments were Ward (hamstring) and tight end Jerame Tuman (abdomen). Burress aggravated a groin injury and sat out the majority of the practice.