Terrell Edmunds already said his goodbye to Pittsburgh. Now, we know he's moving across the state.
Edmunds is signing a one-year contract with the Eagles, according to multiple reports. The financial details have not yet been made public.
Edmunds will fit right into the Philadelphia defense as C.J. Gardner-Johnson signed a contract with the Lions last week.
“Ready to work”@rell_island6 | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/tUYIRFeYqn
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) March 24, 2023
While Edmunds never lived up to the hype of being a first-round pick, he made himself into a fine NFL starter, especially over the past two seasons. Over a five-year career with the Steelers, Edmunds racked up 410 tackles, five interceptions, 26 passes defended and five sacks. There's a spot for him in any NFL defense, and that now includes the defending NFC champion.
Edmunds' departure leaves a need for the Steelers in the secondary. Damontae Kazee fills the immediate need next to Minkah Fitzpatrick. But, the Steelers could really benefit from adding a player that can be versatile in the box and in the slot. Edmunds was able to do the dirty work in those areas, and the rest of the defense benefited from it.
In the upcoming draft, there's one ideal candidate that could be available at either 17th or 32nd overall: Alabama safety Brian Branch. He fits the mold of a versatile safety that can cover in the slot, but might have more upside at creating turnovers. Most mock drafts have him available at 17th overall, while a small amount have him falling out of the first round altogether.
But, 17 is not a reach for Branch. He has the skillset to do what's necessary in the Steelers' defense. Branch met with the Steelers at the NFL Combine, and Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan got a closer look at him at Alabama's pro day on Thursday. Those are the times when Tomlin and Khan will decide whether or not he's a Steeler, not based on what he put on tape.
Either way, this is now perhaps the biggest need on the Steelers' roster. Cornerback could definitely use an infusion of youth and they definitely need to add a tackle or two just to fill out the depth chart. But, filling this third safety/box corner position is a high priority from here on out.
