Callum Brittain completed his move from Blackburn on Monday, a major signing for Boro and the third of the summer after Abdoulaye Kante and Alfie Jones.
Boro are working to further strengthen their squad ahead of the Championship kick-off this weekend and the summer transfer deadline three weeks later, with a left-back and a forward both priorities.
Edwards knows his side are “not the finished article” but wouldn’t expect them to be at this stage. What he’s excited and encouraged by, however, is his belief that Boro have improved throughout the pre-season campaign.
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“We know we still have a lot more work to do, but I like what I’m seeing from this group at the minute,” said Boro’s head coach ahead of Saturday’s Championship opener against Swansea City.
“If we can get a few additions in, we’ll be in a good place.
“The Championship is unique. We know we’re not fully there right now, but the lads that we’ve got here right now have given us everything.
“I think we have shown growth and improvement week on week, which is all you can really ask. We’re not the finished article, by any means, but I don’t think we should be expected to be after five and half weeks or so.”
Boro were winless in pre-season but brought their summer campaign to a close with successive draws against Rangers and Deportivo. Not that results were the primary focus for Edwards in the friendlies.
“I’m pleased with how the last couple of weeks have gone,” he said.
“We’ve played two good teams and had two good performances. Rangers was different. Deportivo were a very well-oiled side.
“Rangers kept things in front when they had the ball, whereas Deportivo were happy to find the space in behind when we tried to jump out.
“Work to do, which we know, but also, a lot of good things that I’m seeing.
“That first goal [against Deportivo], there’s a lot of work that’s gone into that. And then the boys go out onto the pitch and are brave in their pressing and that’s a great example of how they’re taking what we want on board.
“It’s really pleasing. As always, there’s work to do. But if we’d finished pre-season having won every game 4-0, that would still be the case.”
