Pittsburgh Steelers former first-round draft pick, Terrell Edmunds, has signed a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles worth $2 million. Pittsburgh's head coach, Mike Tomlin is in Phoenix, Arizona this week for the Annual League Meetings and was asked about losing Edmunds and what he meant to the team.
Philadelphia Eagles
Former Pittsburgh Steelers safety, Terrell Edmunds, meets with the media for the first time as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Wishes Terrell Edmunds Well In Philadelphia
"He's a football lover. He's highly available. He is very durable and tough. We had a good experience together, and I wish him nothing but the best."
Edmunds has quietly made a name for himself in Pittsburgh by being highly adaptable. He has played well across from fellow safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick. While being a first-round pick carries some expectations, some feel Edmunds can't meet, but he has improved every year in the league.
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Pittsburgh Steelers safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick.
In 2022, Edmunds started in 15 games, ending the season with five deflected passes and 70 tackles. He is a strong pass rusher and had two sacks and three pressures. Since Edmunds tends to play closer to the line of scrimmage, he is used more in the slot than Fitzpatrick. His ability to defend passes often means he is lined up against receivers and tight ends. Tomlin dismisses the notion of placing emphasis on "free" versus "strong" safeties.
"Strong and free are kind of misnomers these days. Most guys play on the right or left, and those that don't are somewhat interchangeable based on the schematics of calls. I think that's what we are. Minkah patrols the middle of the field as a home base, and we work off of that."
He is reliable and durable, having missed only three games due to injury. He seemed to be the perfect physical match to the aggressive play that Fitzpatrick brings. Given that Fitzpatrick had voiced a desire for Edmunds to return, he will undoubtedly miss his former teammate.
"It was really important for me to have [Edmunds] back because that's been my guy for the past three seasons," Fitzpatrick said.
While Edmunds wasn't destined to be a superstar, letting him go has raised concerns since the Steelers were already stretched thin on depth in the secondary. The Steelers do have Fitzpatrick still and have re-signed Damontae Kazee to a two-year deal and according to Tomlin, newly signed cornerback Patrick Peterson is versatile enough that they expect him to relieve some pressure at the safety position as well. Tomlin also said the team will be looking to add some additional bodies either via the draft or free agency.
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Pittsburgh Steelers safety, Damontae Kazee signed a two-year deal to stay with the black and gold for 2023.
Edmunds is joining one of the best defenses in the league with players like Reed Blankenship, K'Von Wallace, and Justin Evans. It is likely Edmunds will start as the Eagles just lost free agents Marcus Epps and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Philadelphia's defense helped the team make it to the Super Bowl last season, finishing second overall in total defense with 301.5 yards per game and first in pass defense with 179.8 yards per game.
Tomlin is always a consummate professional, so it should be a surprise to no one that he would keep his comments on the safety position and the loss of Edmunds surface-level. While Steeler Nation might be frustrated at the team letting Edmunds go, we need to trust in GM Omar Khan as he is off to a strong start in his first offseason.
What do you think about Tomlin's comments on Edmunds? Do you agree that free and strong safety are somewhat obsolete terms now? How do you think the Steelers will fill the void left by Edmunds's absence? Let us know your thoughts below!
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