The NFL cutdown deadline is a reminder of just how difficult it is to make it in the National Football League. Recently, we saw former Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster thrown back on the pile following his release from the Patriots. Fortunately for him, JuJu was able to land back on his feet with the Chiefs.
Another high Pittsburgh draft pick is the latest roster cut casualty.
On August 27, the morning of the cutdown deadline, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirmed that the Jacksonville Jaguars are releasing safety Terrell Edmunds.
The #Jaguars are releasing veteran DB Terrell Edmunds, source said, but the team wants to bring him back on the practice squad — unless another team signs him to the 53.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 27, 2024
Edmunds was Pittsburgh's first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The former Virginia Tech safety joined his brother, Tremaine Edmunds, as the first pair of brothers ever to be selected in the first round of the same draft.
During his tenure with the Steelers, Terrell was a serviceable player. He showed prowess as a run defender and some ability to man up with tight ends in coverage, but takeaways were always difficult to come by.
After five years in Pittsburgh, Edmunds bounced around on the Titans and Eagles in 2023. The Jaguars signed him during the 2024 offseason but wasn't able to make the 53-man roster.
Steelers could add stability to secondary with Terrell Edmunds
Still just 27 years old, the 2018 first-round pick will have a chance to land back on his feet. The Pittsburgh Steelers should give him a call.
At this stage in his career, Edmunds would not be the counterpart to Minkah Fitzpatrick at strong safety in the secondary. Rather, he would be used in a serve role as a special teams gunner and a depth option would be brought up in the event of an injury to DeShon Elliott.
The Steelers could also test Edmunds in the dime backer role and get him on the field as both a box safety or subpackage linebacker if players start going down with injuries.
There's a reason Terrell Edmunds has played on three different since the start of last year. The former Steelers safety is running out of chances, but Pittsburgh could add a familiar face and depth to the secondary at minimal cost.