Steelers' Omar Khan Makes 1 Confession About Terrell Edmunds Departure

The Pittsburgh Steelers, under the direction of new general manager Omar Khan, have been very busy this offseason. There have been several free agency signings that give fans a sense of what the team felt were their most pressing needs. However, there have also been a few Steelers free agents that were not re-signed. Sometimes letting a player move on is just as telling as keeping them. Now we have learned that might be the case with former Pittsburgh strong safety Terrell Edmunds.

Edmunds was signed 28th overall by the Steelers in the 2018 NFL Draft. At the end of his rookie deal the Steelers declined to pick up his fifth-year option allowing him to become a free agent in 2021. The following season, immediately before the 2022 draft, Pittsburgh decided to retain Edmunds on a one-year deal. 

Once the 2022 season ended the speculation began regarding what would happen for 2023 - would the Steelers offer him another one-year deal or would he sign with another team? Last week the wait was over as it was announced that Edmunds was going to the Philadelphia Eagles on a one-year, $2 million deal. The Eagles were in the market for safety after losing CJ Gardner-Johnson. The feelings of fans and analysts were mixed, with some saying that Edmunds was the best possible option to line up across from superstar Minkah Fitzpatrick, while others felt it was time to look for someone better. 

Head coach Mike Tomlin skirted the question, as expected, of what exactly transpired during negotiations with Edmunds. He was asked about it during the press meetings after the Annual League Meetings in Phoenix, Arizona. 

"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' critics frequently compare him to teammate Fitzpatrick. Being a first-round draft pick carries a certain level of expectation, it would be an insult to Fitzpatrick to say that he and Edmunds have a similar level of impact on the game. 

On the other hand, Edmunds and Fitzpatrick play the safety position very differently. He is more often used in the slot than Fitzpatrick. Edmunds is athletic and is a strong pass rusher. In 2022 he started 15 games, finishing the season with five deflected passes and 70 tackles as well as two sacks and three pressures. He was a bit of a jack of all trades on the secondary, playing in the box, covering tight ends and receivers and helping Fitzpatrick do what he does best.  

One of Edmunds's best features is his durability. NFL safeties have a high rate of injury, however, Edmunds played every game in 2018 and 2019 and the majority of the games in his other seasons. He started in 60 games over four seasons and that kind of reliability is worth something. 

Steelers Let Terrell Edmunds Walk Away - Who's Decision Was It?

The frustration for fans only mounted when they heard the amount of his new contract, $2 million feels like peanuts in a league where some players are easily making 10 times that amount. Edmunds has grown on many of the fans in Pittsburgh. When the Steelers drafted Edmunds many fans had never even heard his name before. While he may not be the splash player Fitzpatrick is he has steadily and quietly improved each season.

So what is "wrong" with Edmunds? There seemed to be little interest in him in the open market and from a fan perspective, it did not feel like the Steelers were making an effort to retain him. On Tuesday, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic dropped a bombshell on Twitter, apparently, the Steelers did try to keep Edmunds and he chose to go to Philadelphia. 

"Asked Omar Khan about Terrell Edmunds. He said that they wanted him back and made an offer but Edmunds decided to move on to the Eagles."