Improved play
No, Edmunds was not a pro bowl caliber player last season, but he made some huge strides in his overall game. While Minkah Fitzpatrick is the flashy and talented ball-hawk, Edmunds focused on being the gritty hard-hitting run stuffer. He was solid in that aspect, only missing six tackles on the year. He seems to be developing at the least, so letting him get away so soon would be a mistake.
Where Edmunds really stepped up his game though is in coverage. While still the weakest aspect of his game, Edmunds only allowed a quarterback rating of 55.6 percent when being targeted. This was a huge improvement from the 72 percent he allowed the year before. While his ball skills aren’t great, he did have a two-interception game against the Jaguars this year that showed he has at least improved in that regard.
Even before last season when he still struggled, Edmunds was never a straight bust like Artie Burns or Jarvis Jones was. He was serviceable when on the field, he just wasn’t as dynamic as a first-round pick typically should be. He is an ascending player though, which makes sense given that he came into the league with little refinement and was more of just an athlete. Again, he didn’t become an elite player, but the improvements he made make him worth his option year.