Free agent DE Ray Edwards intends to concentrate on boxing full time.

Two years after signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract, Edwards has fallen out of the league. He blames Falcons coach Mike Smith for labeling him a bad apple during a playing-time dispute last season, thus poisoning his stock. "It's hard to get second chances in the NFL because it's a product line coming out of college," he said. Edwards is still just 28 years old, so we wouldn't rule out an eventual return just yet.

The Seahawks worked out free agent DE Ray Edwards on Monday.

It's Edwards' second known workout after he was cut loose by the Falcons on November 12. The Seahawks don't have an obvious need up front, so perhaps they're just looking to add depth for their playoff run. Edwards tried out for the 49ers earlier this month.

The 49ers reportedly worked out ex-Falcons DE Ray Edwards.

Edwards was cut by Atlanta in mid-November after refusing to join a post-game team gathering. He had just nine tackles and no sacks as a part-time player in nine games this season. Edwards would be purely a depth signing in San Francisco.

According to FOX's Jay Glazer, the Falcons dumped DE Ray Edwards because he refused to join a team gathering following the Week 10 loss to the Saints.

Coach Mike Smith called the players together only to see Edwards ignore his request three separate times, refusing to join in with teammates. Owner Arthur Blank and GM Thomas Dimitroff were in the room at the time, which certainly helped grease the skids for his removal despite forking over $1 million in termination pay.

Falcons released LE Ray Edwards.

Atlanta signed Edwards to a five-year, $27.5 million deal before the 2011 season after he recorded 16.5 sacks for the Vikings in the 2009-10 seasons. He was replaced in the starting lineup after the Week 6 bye. Edwards recorded just nine tackles and zero sacks in nine games this season after notching just 3.5 sacks in 2011. The Falcons will employ a rotation led by Kroy Biermann. Edwards should be able to find work on a much lighter contract.

Ray Edwards (knee surgery) says he's now fully healthy.

Edwards admitted that he was never feeling 100 percent after undergoing a knee procedure just before last season. He ended up with just 3.5 sacks despite playing all 16 games. Back-to-back offseasons with knee surgeries is never a good thing, but both operations sound like mere clean-ups.

Speaking at the Scouting Combine, Falcons coach Mike Smith revealed LE Ray Edwards recently underwent a knee operation.

It's his second knee surgery in as many offseasons. Smith didn't go into much detail, but the fact that the operation flew under the radar and Edwards didn't miss a game last season suggests it was little more than a cleanup procedure. Coming off a disappointing first year in Atlanta, there's no reason to believe Edwards won't be 100 percent for the beginning of training camp.

Falcons LE Ray Edwards has just two sacks and five quarterback hits through nine games.

Edwards had 16.5 sacks in his final 30 games as a Viking, which landed him a five-year contract with the Falcons in July. However, offseason knee surgery combined with the fact that he no longer plays opposite Jared Allen have led to meager production. As a team, the Falcons rank 27th in the league with just 15 sacks.

Falcons DE Ray Edwards admitted he has been slowed by his knee through the first five games of the season.

Edwards had a "minor" knee procedure during the offseason and had no sacks in the first four games. He finally got one during Sunday night's loss to the Packers. "It's getting better and better each week, and it's starting to show in my play," said Edwards.

Falcons LE Ray Edwards (knee surgery) will not be limited in his 2011 preseason debut Saturday.

"He has no different play count than anyone else," coach Mike Smith said. It sounds like the Falcons' high-dollar free agent pickup will be 100 percent to open the season.

Falcons LE Ray Edwards (knee surgery) may suit up for Atlanta's third preseason game next Saturday.

Edwards has been ramping up his participation in practice of late, and is beginning to look like a good bet to be ready for Week 1. As long as Edwards is healthy and able to start opposite John Abraham, the Falcons should have one of the league's better defensive end duos.

Falcons DE Ray Edwards (knee surgery) turned in his most rigorous practice yet on Sunday.

"It was almost full participation," coach Mike Smith said. "We will know more by the end of the week." The Falcons haven't gotten a good look at their new defensive toy since signing him in late July, but it sounds like he's on pace to be ready by Week 1.

Falcons DE Ray Edwards had knee surgery during the offseason.

Edwards' camp certainly did a good job of keeping this quiet. He just landed a five-year, $30 million contract in free agency, showing that the Falcons had no issues with his knee. But depending on exactly what kind of procedure Edwards had, he could end up rotating with Kroy Biermann more than expected to stay fresh. Edwards won't play in Friday's preseason opener.

Agent Doug Hendrickson revealed Friday that the Browns "never expressed interest" in DE Ray Edwards.

Twitter was rampant with speculation Thursday that the Browns were close to a deal with the pass rusher, but we never saw a credible report. Beyond cursory interest from the Titans, it's not clear just who the Falcons were competing with to sign Edwards.

Falcons agreed to terms with DE Ray Edwards on a five-year contract.

It's a huge get for the Falcons. Edwards' 16.5 sacks over the past two seasons in Minnesota are impressive, even if most of them came against single blocks. He forms a dominant bookend on the left side with right end John Abraham, one of the best sack-artists in the league. Still just 26, Edwards has major upside left as a disruptor of passing attacks. His market was slow to develop mostly because of character concerns. Atlanta can now trot out a three-defensive end rotation of Abraham, Edwards, and the highly underrated Kroy Biermann.

NFL Network's Jason La Canfora reports that the Falcons are interested in free agent DE Ray Edwards, but only "at the right price."

Edwards' market has remained extremely slow to develop, perhaps in large part because of the Charles Johnson blockbuster. Edwards has likely asked for similar money. The Titans have also been loosely connected to Edwards in reports. None of these teams is going to shell out a Julius Peppers/Johnson-like deal.

The Titans have reportedly "inquired" about free agent DE Ray Edwards.

Edwards' market has been awfully slow to develop, perhaps because he's perceived as a player who did most of his damage in Minnesota due to single blocks. He's also never been known as a high-character type. The Eagles were supposed to show interest, but their focus has turned to Jason Babin. The Titans would make for a fine fit because they need an upgrade at left end.

According to NFL Network's Jason LaCanfora, the Falcons are out of the pass-rushing picture in free agency following Charles Johnson's deal with the Panthers.

LaCanfora confirms an Atlanta Journal-Constitution report that the Falcons will not pursue Ray Edwards. That leaves the Eagles, Seahawks, and Browns as perhaps the three most likely suitors for Edwards. Falcons fans will have to cross their fingers and hope John Abraham stays healthy for 16 games.

The Falcons will not go after free agent DE Ray Edwards, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

With the Vikings expected to move on, Edwards will be among the top defensive free agents available. The AJC says he's expected to land with the Eagles, where he'd form a dominant bookend with Trent Cole. The Seahawks and Browns have also been mentioned as possible suitors.

ESPN's John Clayton nominates the Seahawks as the favorites to sign free agent DE Ray Edwards.

Defensive end was a need position going into the draft, but the Seahawks came away empty-handed. Edwards is expected to go to the highest bidder, and Seattle boasts a deep-pocketed owner and plenty of salary cap room.