McCabe has been involved with Boro’s senior group throughout the pre-season period, and impressed in a central-midfield role in last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Rangers.
The 19-year-old appeared in first-team squads sporadically under Michael Carrick, but was never really able to force his way into the senior picture on a regular basis.
Edwards does not want to put too much pressure on the teenager, but having been impressed with McCabe’s attitude and performances in the last month, the Boro boss is convinced the Middlesbrough-born midfielder is ready for more involvement this season.
“I thought Law was excellent [at Rangers],” said the [[Boro]] boss, who will preside over his side’s penultimate pre-season game this evening when they make the short trip up the A19 to take on Hartlepool United. “For such a big game, he’d have felt a bit of pressure, but I thought he was excellent for such a young lad.
“There is a lot of high hopes around the club for him at the moment. From the supporters too. Everyone thinks so highly of him.
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“It’s important for now we don’t put too much pressure on him, but at the same time, I’m going to a little bit now as well.
“We’ll give him the environment to perform and hopefully grow. But then it’s down to him to try and get into the team and stay in it.
“So, I will put a little bit of pressure on him. Because he’s got it, you can see that at times out there. He’s got it. The supporters have got their heads screwed on, so I know they’ll be patient with him. We’ll try and push him, and then it will be down to him.”
McCabe has been linked with a possible loan exit this summer, but while Edwards concedes that remains a potential course of action, he is currently minded to keep the teenager on Teesside.
“Right now, he’s part of the plans and it’s down to him,” he said. “Look, if things change as the window goes on, we’re always assessing.
“But right now, you look at what he’s capable of producing and he’s rightly part of the group.”
