Pittsburgh Steelers safety Terrell Edmunds has had quite an interesting career. Selected in the first round, 28th overall, of the 2018 NFL Draft, he was seen as a reach by many experts at the time. He was projected to go on day two, yet former General Manager Kevin Colbert opted to take him at the tail end of the first day.
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A few seasons into his professional career, the returns seemed to be going as expected. Edmunds showed tremendous flaws, as he was a part of one of the worst secondaries in the NFL. In 2019, Colbert made quite a bold move. He traded for Minkah Fitzpatrick, one of the best safeties in all of football. It was a move that helped stabilize Pittsburgh's secondary and help Edmunds settle into his role as the strong safety.
While that trade may not necessarily be a direct correlation, the veteran has been able to focus on his side of the field while Fitzpatrick roams around as the playmaker. In this past offseason, the Virginia Tech product was a free agent. After spending some time on the market, he ended up signing back with the Steelers on a cheap one-year deal.
So far in 2022, Edmunds has had a career-best season. It has come at the perfect time for him, as he's now set to earn some decent money in the upcoming offseason. The beloved Pro Football Focus has given Edmunds a 73.0 rating through the first 11 weeks of this season. He's been equally impressive in both run support and pass coverage. Out of 86 qualifying safeties, PFF ranks Edmunds 18th this season. With Fitzpatrick ranked eighth, the black and gold have had one of the best safety duos in the NFL this year.
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Now, the current General Manager, Omar Khan, will be tasked with a difficult decision to make. Should he extend Edmunds or let him walk? As stated before, he'll almost certainly demand more money than the $2.5 million deal that he got the last offseason. In a draft in which Khan will be forced to address several pressing needs, including cornerback and offensive line, it would be wise to avoid creating another need.
If Khan indeed lets Edmunds walk, it would force the team to have to find another starting safety in either free agency or the 2023 NFL Draft. Damontae Kazee would be a name to watch as it pertains to this conversation, but like Fitzpatrick, he's more suited as a free safety. Since debuting in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints, his impact and presence have been quite clear. Along with being a leader in the locker room, Kazee brings some much-needed toughness to the team's secondary.
Edmunds' play this season has warranted him an extension. He's particularly stepped up in the two games that Fitzpatrick has missed due to injury. If Khan does opt to extend Edmunds, which shouldn't be more than a $6 million per year deal, he could focus on addressing the cornerback position in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
Do you agree with this assessment? Should the Steelers extend Edmunds after this season? If so, what kind of contract would you give him? If you let him walk, who would you look to replace him? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below!
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