Mario Edwards: Five things to know about new Giants defensive end

Among the six players the New York Giants were awarded on waivers Sunday, the headliner might be former Oakland Raiders defensive end Mario Edwards. I reached out to Levi Damien, the big cheese over at SB Nation’s Raiders website, Silver and Black Pride, for the inside scoop on Edwards. He spent parts of four seasons in Oakland, so Damien knows the player well.

Here are five not so encouraging things to know about the 24-year-old 2015 second-round pick.

Ed: Why did the Raiders let him go?

Levi: He is due to make $1.9 million this season, they drafted two interior pass rushers and had a couple of other guys outplay Edwards (and who are cheaper). He is also seen as someone who doesn’t put in the work.

Ed: What are his strengths?

Levi: I have never seen it with Edwards. He is usually better at playing the run than rushing the passer. He showed some pass rush over the first four games last season (had 3.5 sacks in those first four games) and then disappeared. Which was pretty typical for him.

Ed: Weaknesses?

Levi: He is injury prone. He has never finished a full 16 games including missing all but two games in 2016. And when he returned, he was a non-factor.

Ed: Anything about him off the field or as a person we should know?

Levi: He isn’t very fit. Seen as having poor work ethic. He was a top recruit in the nation for Florida State and then disappointed, mainly because he was overweight. He blamed it on FSU liking big linemen, but that was a shaky excuse at best.

Ed: How do you see him fitting into a team like the Giants that will use both 3-4 and 4-3 front?

Levi: He can play 3-tech in a 4-3 and 5-tech in a 3-4.

Like I said up top, not exactly a glowing recommendation for the Giants newest defensive end.