With the need for a play-making safety and Bruce Arians’ noted praise for Tyrann Mathieu, a belief that the Bucs would make a push for the “Honey Badger” when free agency rolled around began to heat up. But after Mathieu signed a lucrative three-year, $42 million deal with Kansas City, Tampa Bay went out and drafted their own versatile defensive back in the form of Kentucky’s Mike Edwards.

Cardinals S Tyrann Mathieu – Photo by: Getty Images

Edwards was made available to the local media on Saturday where he spoke about defensive coordinator Todd Bowles’ defense, what’s expected of him and the rest of the defensive backs in the system and the comparisons that have been made to Mathieu.

An interesting point that Edwards spoke on early was his move from strong safety to free safety.

“They said they’re going to do a lot with me, right now they’ve got me at free safety,” Edwards said. “I was playing strong safety earlier in the year when I first got here, they moved me to free. We’ll see how it plays out but I’m just ready to play wherever they put me.”

That versatility is a huge reason why Edwards was drafted to the Bucs. Edwards noted that the safety positions will be interchangeable in Bowles’ defense as he learns to play both and mentioned that as he’s becoming more comfortable with the playbook and all the things that will be asked of him it helps slow the game down.

He’ll move around, not only because of his ability but because of Bowles’ penchant for putting a lot of defensive backs on the field. In a pass-happy league where teams often run out of a nickel defense over half of the time, you have to do a little bit of everything to stay on the field as a safety.

“[Bowles] mixes it all up, so it’s not really one main thing like a free safety playing in the middle of the field,” Edwards said on what’s asked of him in this defense. “I blitz, cover guys, stack the box, different things like that. He definitely has a great scheme for our defense and I’m just trying to be prepared for whatever he sets me up for, wherever he lines me up at and wherever he has me positioned. I’ve been doing that since college, since high school, I’ve been playing all over the field so wherever he has me at I’m comfortable.”

He was also asked about Mathieu and if he sees any similarities in their games. He said that they do have some similarities and that he can play a similar role, but that they’re definitely different players.

“I’m a versatile player just like he is,” Edwards said. “I like to get the ball, I can play a lot of positions so wherever they need me to fit at, I can fit in there and play at a high level so that’s what I’m trying to do.”