Terrell Edmunds reportedly signed a new one-year contract with the Steelers Friday afternoon, a deal that's set to only cost the team $2.5 million against the salary cap:
Former first-round pick Terrell Edmunds is expected to re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, per source. Barring late change of plan, four-year starter back in the fold as Steelers approach the draft.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 22, 2022
The deal locks up the strong safety position — the only position on the Steelers roster where they didn't have a projected starter heading into the 2022 NFL Draft, set to begin next Thursday.
Edmunds instantly became a starter for the Steelers after they selected him with the 28th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He played in every game that season, starting all but one. Since then, he's only missed one regular season game and has 60 career starts.
Edmunds was not the team's top playmaker in the secondary — only five interceptions over his first four seasons — but he did become a solid partner for Minkah Fitzpatrick, who did become the team's leading interceptor with 11 since joining the team in 2019. Despite not being a big contributor to the Steelers' turnover totals, Edmunds did grow into being a solid defender who could take on various offensive targets, regardless if they were a receiver, tight end or running back.
According to Pro Football Focus, Edmunds' 9.2 yards per catch allowed was the second-best rate among starting safeties who played at least 650 snaps last season. Back in March, I detailed in a Carter's Classroom feature several of the positive factors Edmunds brought in both coverage and in run defense, while knowing he wouldn't cost too much for the team to retain in free agency.
The contract allows Kevin Colbert to keep a starter on defense and ensures the Steelers can go into the NFL Draft with their normal plan to select the best player available without being pigeonholed into drafting a particular position. The safety position could still be a target for the Steelers in the NFL Draft, as Edmunds' deal won't preclude the team from adding a top talent to the position group who would be signed to the team for the next 4-5 years. I broke down the differences between the top four options — Kyle Hamilton, Daxton Hill, Lewis Cine, Jaquan Brisker — in my latest Carter's Classroom.
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