The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the 2019 season giving up on average 194.6 passing yards per game. That average is the fewest allowed only behind the New England Patriots, and San Francisco 49ers. However, the question has to be asked: could the Steelers passing defense play the pass even more exceptional in 2020?
Some people could feel contempt with where the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary is currently. After all their secondary grouping is made up of various star players. However, in the ever-changing league that the National Football League is, teams should always try to find ways to better themselves.
This leads me to the Pittsburgh Steelers weakest link in the secondary grouping, the team’s former first-round selection in the 2018 NFL draft, Terrell Edmunds. Draft experts were puzzled when Steelers drafted Edmunds with the 28th pick. The former Virginia Tech safety was supposed to be selected during day 2 of the draft. This is why analysts suggest Edmunds was a reach in the first.
First, let’s highlight the positives in Terrell Edmunds play. Since being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the 23-year-old Edmunds has the most snaps played(2002) and total tackles(183) on the team over the two-year span.
In addition to always being on the field and a productive tackler, Terrell Edmunds also is an efficient defender when wrapping up opposing players. During his rookie season in 2018, the first-year player only missed 6.0% of his 78 total tackles made. This past NFL regular season, Edmunds only missed 9.8% of his 105 total tackles made. Now with Edmunds’s positives aside, what statistics showcase the flaws in the strong safety and his game?