Letting Terrell Edmunds Walk Is Steelers General Manager Omar Khan's 1st Big Mistake Of His Short Tenure

So far so good for Omar Khan and the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. Positional holes have been filled and key players brought back. However, the news of starting strong safety, Terrell Edmunds, announcing his intentions to play for another team in 2023 was less than ideal for a Steelers' defensive back group that is already struggling with depth. Will the team ultimately regret not bringing back Edmunds to pair with All-Pro free safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick? Too early to tell. 

However, regardless of where Edmunds ends up, the Steelers should be thankful for his time in Pittsburgh. He was one of the most consistent and reliable players the defense had during his five years in Pittsburgh. 

Edmunds is far from a superstar. He never had the same type of game-changing ability as his running mate Fitzpatrick but what he did have was something equally as valuable, durability. During his time as a Steeler, he only missed three games. He provided stability to the entire defensive group and seemingly improved every year as a pro. While he is somewhat limited in his ability to cover receivers, he is a versatile defender who played well in a multitude of positions such as safety and dime linebacker. His presence will undoubtedly be missed in 2023. 

In all likelihood, the Steelers have a plan for how to replace Edmunds' productivity level next season. This may come in the form of a veteran free agent or perhaps as a high-round draft pick. Regardless, the decision to let Edmunds test the open waters of free agency is a bit puzzling. Do the Steelers really expect to land a player of Edmunds' quality this late in free agency? Is there a particular safety in the upcoming draft class that they feel will provide a long-term answer to play alongside Fitzpatrick? 

Ultimately, it would be foolish to doubt Omar Khan at this point. He has done exceedingly well in these types of situations during his short time as general manager. However, in this particular situation, it seems that the Steelers may be letting a perfectly good opportunity slip away. Edmunds' physical style of play complements the ball-hawking nature of Fitzpatrick extremely well. Fitzpatrick is even on record voicing his support of Edmunds. 

This past offseason, he had this to offer in regard to how much it meant to have Edmunds sign a one-year contract with the team for the 2022 season. 

It was really important for me to have him (Edmunds) back, because that's been my guy for the past three seasons," Fitzpatrick said.

In Omar We Trust, Steeler Nation

As difficult as it is to accept that Terrell Edmunds will be playing for a new team in 2023, it may be possible that a change of scenery may be best for both sides at this point. The Steelers have already brought back Damontae Kazee on a two-year deal. He was very solid in 2022, and will likely enter next season as the starter alongside Fitzpatrick. From there, the depth at safety is lacking. Tre Norwood is more of a hybrid between safety and slot corner and Miles Killebrew is almost exclusively used on special teams. Needless to say, adding quality safety via free agency or the 2023 NFL Draft just shot up the priority list for Khan.