‘No-Brainer’ Move for Terrell Edmunds to Return to His ‘Best Fit’ in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — Terrell Edmunds got his fifth-year option declined prior to the 2021 season, yet the first-round draft pick of the Steelers in the 2018 NFL Draft came out and put up 89 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and six pass deflections. It was one of the better, if not the best, year for Edmunds. However, the safety market was not super robust, and it dragged out longer than Edmunds anticipated.

Sitting on the sidelines for a long time, Edmunds knew he had an offer from the Steelers. While both sides certainly looked elsewhere to potentially fill the void, they ended up coming back together. That was not a hard decision for Edmunds to make for a variety of reasons.

“We both were taking phone calls,” Edmunds said. “We talked over numbers and tried to figure out the best situation. At the end of it, this was the best situation regardless of the money being offered elsewhere.”

While he was waiting, though, the market started off hot for safeties. Marcus Williams got a healthy deal from the Baltimore Ravens. Justin Reid and Jordan Whitehead both were paid rather handsomely to go to new destinations. However, Edmunds never got the same calls. There were teams that were interested in bringing him aboard. Edmunds stayed on the market to see if anything would happen, but at some point, it was just better to come back.

“That was my decision to hold out just to see how the market goes,” Edmunds said. “It was going up and down at one point, but then it crashed. So, then I just looked for the best fit. It was here. I wouldn’t ask for anything different. I’m back with my guys. I’m back in the same system. It was a no-brainer. It’s time to go win now.”

In addition to Edmunds, the Steelers brought in Damontae Kazee. With Minkah Fitzpatrick the obvious starter, it could be seen that Kazee could potentially push Edmunds. While Edmunds will embrace that competition, after starting for nearly four seasons in Pittsburgh, he is not relinquishing his view that he is the top dog at the strong safety position.

“I feel like I’m the starter,” Edmunds said. “It’s just going out there and competing. He (Kazee) will help us out in the best way he can. I have no doubt in my mind about the starter position. But you go out there and never take for granted what you have every day.”

For Edmunds to maintain that spot and parlay that into something more in the offseason, he felt there was no other spot than Pittsburgh to do that with. With his level of comfortability in the scheme and with the people, Edmunds feels that he can simply be himself.

“It’s just the best situation,” Edmunds said. “I’m back with my guys. There aren’t a whole lot of new faces. I don’t have to learn a new defense. I can just go out there and play my game. It was the best situation overall.”

Edmunds will now go out throughout the offseason and the regular season proper to try and take his game to the next level. Whether that comes to fruition or not will be the question of how he works off of a strong 2021 campaign. However, with a strong season, Edmunds will hit the market at just 26 years old again. There is an opportunity to cash in again.