7 Terrell Edmunds replacement options for Steelers in the 2023 NFL Draft

Terrell Edmunds’ time with the Pittsburgh Steelers has come to an end as he joins the Philadelphia Eagles on a one-year contract. Edmunds was the Steelers’ first-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft and served as a key cog in Pittsburgh’s defense over the last several years. He made 77 starts in 82 possible games with over 5,000 defensive snaps. The front office elected not to exercise Edmunds’ fifth-year option going into the 2021 season, allowing him to hit free agency last offseason. But Edmunds elected to return on a one-year deal and test the market the following year. 

Despite a deflating safety market, especially as we enter the later stages of NFL free agency, it seems like Edmunds could be gone for good this time. The Steelers elected to resign Damontae Kazee instead, as they continue a pivot toward turnover-generating defensive playmakers. Even though Edmunds was a reliable run defender and solid at covering tight ends and running backs, he rarely caused turnovers. He only intercepted five passes during his time in Pittsburgh on nearly 3,000 coverage snaps and over 200 targets; he also never forced a fumble. 

Given Kazee’s skills in deep coverage, there is a possibility that Minkah Fitzpatrick plays more of his snaps in the box or in the slot. Regardless, the Steelers still need a more traditional “strong” safety that can defend the run in the box. With that being said, it’s relatively difficult to predict what kind of player they are looking for. In recent years, Pittsburgh does not have many ironclad heuristics when looking at the safety position. One of the few, if any, is that the player is from a Power Five school. However, with Omar Khan and Andy Weidl at the helm, it’s even harder to predict which players they will prefer or lean away from. 

Nevertheless, here is a list of players that the Pittsburgh Steelers could consider taking in the 2023 NFL Draft to replace Terrell Edmunds. All but one of these players come from Power Five schools, all are over 200 pounds, and all have a knack for creating turnovers, interceptions, or fumbles.