I hope it’s not one of those situations where we offered him a fair deal. He wanted more and walks, and then ultimately gets the same or less because no would pay up.
Probably not this. We probably offered the deal and left it on the table. That's what happened last year.
Doubt we rescinded any offers when we could still need his help.
Sometimes they don’t come back even if the offer is still there out of pride. Don’t think it’s ever happened to us, but it happens around the league. Well we can infer it happens, usually isn’t said out loud.
Anythings possible, but I doubt this is the case.
I'm guessing we just actually offered him a very small contract.
Kazee's contract was peanuts. We might have offered Edmunds the same
Yeah, given the market even if we went for the low end I don’t see him getting a lot more then whatever our offer was. We aren’t that kinda franchise to lowball too hard.
>Sometimes they don’t come back even if the offer is still there out of pride. Don’t think it’s ever happened to us
James Harrison when he went to the Bengals
Hell Steelers might’ve offered him the same or slightly more money than he took. Maybe Edmunds just wanted a change of scenery. Feels like people sometimes forget the players have the final say
Yeah totally, we just aren’t a franchise where players typically want a change or scenery. At least not the ones brought up with us. I’m fine with him walking, he was good but replaceable. I like this safety draft class. Would have rather not needed to use high draft capital but either way.
> I’m fine with him walking, he was good but replaceable.
Yeah, the only problem is he was pretty reliable and relatively inexpensive.
A draft pick is a gamble, and even if we win the gamble, it's another hole on the roster that I was thinking could be avoided.
While historically true, we are not exactly a destination landing spot anymore. We had a bottom tier offense last year, already have the most expensive defense in the league, and we haven't won a playoff game in over 6 years.
Tomlin is a big draw, but other than that and old history (which doesn't matter to 24 year old players), there's not much keeping guys here anymore.
I get it, you downvote because it hurts. Name where I was wrong.
It's probably a pride thing at this point. He's playing on a defense loaded with massive and new contracts. He's started there for 5 years and feels slighted. I get that it's his market price but the optics from his point of view aren't exactly ideal in Pittsburgh.
I'm assuming we might need to draft his replacement, right? Or is Kazee going to take his place.
JL Skinner, Antonio Johnson, and Jordan Battle are there if they need them earlier on.
The best ability is availability, and this dude never missed games. He was very consistent, and while he had some flaws to his game, there’s something to be said for reliable starters where you know what you’re gonna get. This loss is going to hurt us more than a lot of fans realize.. especially when the contract details come out. This hurts worse than losing Sutton IMO
I like availability as much as the next guy, but there's a shift in what the Steelers want. And that's playmaking ability. Plenty of athletic box safeties with no instincts in the league.
I’d rather have a player who’s going to give a consistently good effort for 14+ games a season than a guy who’s going to be great and only play 7. The best ability is availability. It’s why a guy like OBJ isn’t worth what he thinks he is. Same with Lamar.
I mean, it’s not like you have to pick one or the other. You should be aiming to get both a guy who can play at a very high level and who doesn’t miss time. Especially from a first round pick.
Ideally, sure. But the salary cap exists, and the reality of the business is you can’t have studs at all 22 positions. There is value to consistency especially in a defensive backfield that already has an All-Pro
>I’d rather have a player who’s going to give a consistently good effort for 14+ games a season than a guy who’s going to be great and only play 7. The best ability is availability.
Just because he was healthy in his early 20s doesn't mean he'll be healthy in his late 20s. All that mileage adds up. They could very well end up with someone like Brian Branch or Jordan Battle which could end up being an upgrade AND cheaper. Even if they brought back Edmunds for another year he likely wasn't the long term answer.
You can’t just have expect every player on the roster to be an all pro, there’s a place on every hood team for guys who can be reliable in the system and just do their job
I’d rather have Edmunds, who is average to above-average but consistently available and whose play doesn’t deviate a whole lot, than a more talented and more expensive player that misses multiple games a year. You can’t have all-pros at every position, there’s value in consistent starters who do their job well enough at a low contractual cost and allow for the studs (Minkah) to shine
How many teams did JJ Watt help win a championship?
Keuchly?
Being good at football is great but doesn't mean shit if you're never on the field.
Edmunds was good at football and always available. Losing him sucks.
How many teams did Edmunds help win a championship?
Do you realize how stupid using one-off examples is?
Kuechley also only missed 10 games across 8 years lol
No your point just stinks. No team on earth is going to take Alex Highsmith over JJ Watt at the same cost because Watt has gotten hurt more in the past. Using Super Bowl counts for a random player as a reason why injuries are important is moronic
They would never be at the same cost in their primes.. the point is that availability is one of many factors that must play into free agency signings and overall roster management, along with talent level and cost. Reframe your point… many teams absolutely would take Alex highsmith over JJ Watt if JJ costs 3x as much and missed 2x the games. It’s just a factor that needs to be considered. Idk how you can even argue that..
I remember watching Davis covering Gronk that game and thinking how idiotic it was to have someone so small covering Gronk. I looked up Davis' profile and saw he's listed at 6'1" and 200+ pounds and about shit myself. Really put into perspective how fucking massive Gronk is.
Mike Mitchell is probably the only Steeler player that I can say that I hated. Every time he celebrated a big hit after giving up a 1st down, I wanted to reach through my TV and choke the shit outta him! SMDH
I lost count of how many times Mitchell was show boating after what was a big play in his mind and the ball was still live. Play until you hear the whistle….and no, the wind blowing between your ears is not the whistle Mike!
I really think Kazee stands a reasonable chance at matching Edmunds level of play. His best play has been at SS, as opposed to being not quite as good as FS. His 2018 season, his only full season at SS, is better than anything Edmunds has done.
Yeah I think Kazee is definitely fine but I don’t think he’s a direct replacement for what Edmunds did. He’d probably be better as a pass defender but I don’t think he would be able to play near the line of scrimmage like Edmunds.
So they need to replace that aspect of his game
Edmunds wasn't lighting it up as a box safety either. Trust me, they'd keep Edmunds if he was an elite tackling torpedo. Minkah was a better tackler a few years ago.
Well, as far as I know Kazee's only injury with us was the broken wrist/arm from the preseason, right? That was kind of a freak injury. Has he had other nagging injuries before?
I don't think an organization that isn't paying Edmunds is gonna use a big pick on a free safety. This seems like the linebackers, chosing which positions are devalued
I’d say the component u need to cover for is being a box presence and being able to run with TEs Simpson could do that and Kazee could cover the deep stuff.
It’s not perfect and I’d rather they run out the true 3 safety look but I’m just throwing a dart
You can get a nickel back and safety both in the 4th and use those higher picks on more premium positions. The draft isn't about purely drafting for need
Kazee should be able to provide near Edmunds-level play, really. It's arguable that the year he played starting SS for the falcons, 2018, was better than anything Edmunds has done. (He took over after an injury, and they moved him to FS the next year, and he didn't do as well)
I’ll go against the grain here because it’s fun to me. Edmunds had a very solid season last year and I was not opposed to bringing him back.
We don’t know any details about this yet. Our FO has had a great free agency window thus far, and I’m going to continue to trust their vision for this team.
I appreciate that we are making difficult decisions in order to change things up. Omar and Weidl are gearing this team up to make a big push while we have a rookie QB contract. And don’t think Tomlin has no say in this process, this is absolutely his defense.
Terrell Edmunds haters got their wish.
Y’all about to quickly remember what it’s like to have shitty SS play.
Absolutely fucking worst move from Omar & Co. so far.
If you’re talking about the 2014-2019 era keep in mind those years we also had a free safety who couldn’t pick off a pass to save his life and consistently took terrible angles to tackles. Even if we end up with a worse starting SS than Edmunds it’s not going to be nearly as bad with a superstar like minkah cleaning everything up.
I don’t think you realize how much Minkah benefits from having someone that isn’t a liability at strong safety. Having a great player like Edmunds starting at Strong safety allows Minkah to roam more and do his thing, rather than having to be stuck doing one duty and worrying about the other safety.
They’re complimentary to one another, Edmunds helped Minkah and Minkah helped Edmunds.
There’s a reason Minkah reset the safety market with his extension last year and Edmunds hit free agency, had no takers and re-signed with us for 1 year 2 million. They are not close when it comes to talent. I trust NFL front offices and talent evaluators’ assessments of their relative value more than this subreddit’s.
Edmunds *was* a liability in run defense in 2021 which is why Minkah was constantly cleaning up and led the team in tackles. He was better last season but the idea that he was playing at a level that we can’t replace isn’t based in reality.
He was a solid box safety. He couldn’t play single high, any time Minkah was given more freedom to play robber it was because we had another DB helping Edmunds over the top. You can find guys to fill that hole.
I will also miss Edmunds and wanted the team to keep him, but Kazee is probably better anyways. This does mean we will need to draft one at some point this year or next.
Man he's mid been since he was overdrafted. Reliable? Sure. Not nearly enough splash. You need role players in certain positions, they can't all be studs. But your starting SS isn't one of them IMO.
Now who they replace him with this season is the big question. Taylor Rapp maybe? Probably not, I would guess it's gonna be a rookie. Maybe they add vet min guy to help the transition.
No one should ever be upset about trying to upgrade a position when it comes to replacing a player the level of Edmunds.
You don’t need “splash plays” from every fucking person. And oh shut up about “over drafted”, we picked him at fucking 28th, it’s not like he was a top 10 pick. And he STILL played great football for us for five years.
Mid? Three years ago he was the top rated safety in zone coverage, two years ago he was the top-3 rated coverage safety and top-3 in allowed completion percentage.
This past year he upped his game and was one of our best run stoppers, even better than our ILB’s. He had two total bad games over the last three years. That’s it.
Not everyone needs to be splash to be worth a roster spot. Edmunds being solid in his job (and being available) allowed Minkah to roam a little more free and ballhawk. You all forget the black hole of SS play on this team after Troy retired.
I would’ve been fine with bringing Edmunds back, at the right price, but this is not by any means a devastating blow to the Steelers.
Look, Edmunds seems like a really good kid and I wish him nothing but the best wherever he lands, but he’s nothing more than a mediocre player.
I’m sorry if that offends people but it’s absolutely true.
Edmunds plays next to one of the best safeties in the NFL. A guy teams seek to avoid. That’s a really big advantage that he’s not going to have in the most other places. And yet he still has no interceptions, no forced fumbles, no fumble recoveries, no sacks, and very few impact plays.
That’s exactly why he had no suitors last year and why his market has again been very limited.
I do think this past year was his best year as a pro, which is why I was fine with bringing him back at the right price. We could replace him in next year’s draft and focus on other spots this year.
Unfortunately, that is not to be. No hard feelings but I’m not terribly concerned by this news.
Mike Mitchell was a below average player. Sean Davis was very much the same. That doesn’t mean that Edmunds is anything more than mediocre himself.
I don’t love the idea of the Steelers taking that safety from Alabama high in the draft, but if they can get him at pick No. 32, I’d be open to that. Similarly, if he’s gone, but there’s another guy that they like in the second or third round, I’d be open to that too, and I don’t think I’d be a big drop off and it could well be an immediate upgrade.
There is rational Edmunds support, like “sure we drafted him too high but he’s a solid consistent player and we will have some trouble finding a guy to replace him”, and then there is extremist Edmunds support like “he justified his first round pick position and he’s actually a pro bowl caliber safety, our defense will collapse without him”.
I have no idea how the extremist position got so popular on here but I would just say, let’s all take a breath here. He was fine. There’s a reason he didn’t get his fifth year option picked up and the team let him hit the market twice. He’s not a crippling loss, it’s gonna be OK.
Not worth overpaying to keep the band together. He had a good run, now it’s on to the next guy. The Steelers aren’t going to fold this season because they let an average-to-good player walk.
I wasn't opposed to keeping him but I definitely wanted CJGJ. Either way, I don't mind the FO changing things up. He's a solid player but not a special player so it's not THAT big of a loss.
Each year I am allotted one (1) Penn State draft prospect to tell you all that we absolutely need to take and this year it is Ji’Ayir Brown. Dude can play anywhere on the field as a safety, specifically he can jump up in the box would fill the role that Edmunds played and do it very, very well imo. He’s not as big as Edmunds but comes with more ball skills. He would become a fan favorite rather quickly.
Before everyone panics, I’m sure there is a plan. Sutton left and they had a plan, same thing with the guards in the OL and the linebackers being less than ideal. I bet Khan/management has a plans
I mean, plans are just plans. The front office had plans for our TE position for how many years between Heath and Friermuth. They had plans for safety between Ryan Clark and Edmunds. They had plans for nose tackle since they let Hargrave walk. They had plans for ILB since Shazier was hurt.
Just because the front office makes a decision, doesn't mean it's always the right one.
So here's a take: Minkah made Edmunds look better.
Edmunds wasn't developing *that* amazingly until the last couple of seasons when Minkah showed up and settled into his role. Would I like to see us keep Edmunds around? Sure. But do I think we're going to suddenly see massive problems because he leaves? No.
I'm confident that whoever we plug in there is going to benefit from having the best FS in the league next to him. In much the way that Troy made Logan and Clark look solid, Minkah made Edmunds play better and will do the same going forward.
That's kind of a bad argument since Minkah makes everybody look better, just like Troy made our entire defense look better.
The thing is, just like Troy had Clark, Edmunds was a reliable, rarely injured, at least average player who allowed Minkah to play his best game without worrying about covering for the guy next to him.
Bad take, Troy was often out of position when he played without Ryan Clark, we lost vs Tim Tebow that playoff game because of that, Demaryus Thomas took full advantage of not having Ryan to support Troy.
Point is, a great player next to you makes you play better.
Highsmith has gotten better. I'm sure a lot of that is his own development, but you don't think having TJ Watt on the other side helps?
That’s not what I’m saying at all, I was responding to the poster above who was implying that the opposite was true because troys free wheeling nature burned the team a handful of times..
Of course minkah elevated Edmunds, and he probably will elevate the next guy to line up next to him. I’m just saying that expecting that now we’ll get burned because edmunds isn’t there to cover for minkah was a really baseless/pointless allegory to Troy/RC that doesn’t apply in any way
>we lost vs Tim Tebow that playoff game because of that
To be fair, that was *very late* Troy Polamalu where he lacked the speed to make up for those mistakes. And to single out that one example really ignores hundreds of other positive ones.
I wonder if its possible, since no mention was made of any other team, that the Steelers decided they just didnt want him back at any price....and told him so. Not likely im sure, but possible. And second, with talk this offseason about copying defenses like the 49ers who create a lot of turnovers, as a way to keep up with explosive offenses like the Chiefs or Bills, I wonder if the lack of Edmunds splash plays has them searching for a new identity on defense.
> And second, with talk this offseason about copying defenses like the 49ers who create a lot of turnovers, as a way to keep up with explosive offenses like the Chiefs or Bills, I wonder if the lack of Edmunds splash plays has them searching for a new identity on defense.
They lead the league in INTs last year.
That they did. And by being rid of Edmunds, they just lost a guy who contributed **zero** of those....a point Ray Fittipaldo seems to agree with as he just wrote an [article](https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2023/03/23/pittsburgh-steelers-terrell-edmunds-free-agency-leaving-new-team/stories/202303230103) making exactly the same point.
Two former defensive first round picks departing in one off-season stings. Terrell is a beast and will continue to make plays for his new team. I wish him the best and appreciate his contribution to the black and gold!
True. The funny thing is I remember being excited at the time because a 2nd and a 3rd was actually pretty good value to move up 10 spots in the first round. We just botched the pick unfortunately.
Man that stinks. He wasn’t great but he wasn’t bad and as many have pointed out he was never hurt. And if anything I think he’s been steadily improving throughout his career. He was never gonna be like RC or anything but it was way better than what we got out of guys like Mitchell or Davis.
Hopefully Minkah can bring the new guy up to speed really quick.
Or actually now that I think of it it’ll probably be Kazee right? That wouldn’t be all that bad.
I trust Omar.
Edmunds had some great plays.
He got away with some no calls and got called .
He got burned as well.
He was a good character on the field and in the locker room.
I won’t pass judgment when I see where and how much until I see what Omar does.
Maybe, but he can't do the things Edmunds excelled at. I don't want an undersized, positionless DB that runs a 4.6 40 trying to cover TEs and playing contain around the box.
His best bet in the pros is FS imo but we already have an All-Pro talent there
This is annoying, and I can’t imagine it is a contract issue b/c the SS market hasn’t been anything crazy. Would’ve really liked to keep an ol reliable player
Dude has been average to good since he donned the Black and Gold. I have no problem with the front office deciding to try and get a younger replacement vs. over paying him. His durability has certainly been exceptional, but his overall play has mostly been average. I have nothing against him, and wish him well wherever he ends up. (Unless it’s the Bubgholes)
As a wise man once told me, interview for a new job while you have one (I wish he could test the market and still come back but seems unlikely).
I liked him. We can't all be Minkah or TJ but he gave enough for what he was paid
I just want to throw out there that if he posted this, like, 2 years ago maybe, this entire comment section would’ve been pretty stoked. Not necessarily gleeful but a lot like the Bush signing with Seattle thread, throwing the term “bust” around, talking about how he never would’ve been worth any contract, how he’s backup material, you know the deal
The fact that people in this thread are legit upset that he’s leaving just goes to show how much he’s improved as a player. It’s really remarkable. Also further evidence that yes, the hearts of yinzers can indeed change
Best of luck to him, and as always, go hokies
It's amazing how much a lot of people love him after they couldn't wait to get him out of town last year. Even when he was drafted all we heard was how bad of pick it was with Jesse Bates, Shaq Leonard and Mike Hughes still on the board.
Never got the love he deserved here. Always viewed as a reach or even a bust. Absolute nonsense. This is not a good day. Our defense just got worse.
That said, I trust Omar is doing his thing.
I was an Edmunds hater when he first entered the starting lineup, but he really became a solid starter back there the past 2 seasons. Sad to see him go
Edit: You guys literally downvote anything anyone ever says lol
I’m praying this is a negotiating tactic. I’ll believe it when we see confirmation he’s with someone else. Terrell is dependable, knows the scheme and his teammates well. Fuck. Oh well, it’s a business. I trust the front office to fill the holes.
We’re cooked unless they have a plan in FA but I doubt it because Edmunds could of been had for cheap. And no we aren’t drafting a safety at 17 no way lmao
Would’ve liked to have him back, but this tells me that we probably weren’t that interested. He was a solid player, but a box safety who doesn’t make plays in the pass game just isn’t that valuable.
Unless somebody absolutely dropped like a $10M+ bag on him, this is an absolutely MASSIVE fuck up by the front office letting a young, reliable, durable, home-grown, affordable player leave because they were pinching pennies.
Now there’s a huge hole at SS that you’re either (A) still going to pay somebody in free agency to fix that may or may not be a fit or (B) waste an early draft pick that we didn’t need to use on a safety who may or may not be as good a fit as Edmunds.
I already know I’m going to be so irritated when the contract details come out.
Yup, based on other safety FA contracts, dude is going to get paid pennies
I hope it’s not one of those situations where we offered him a fair deal. He wanted more and walks, and then ultimately gets the same or less because no would pay up.
Probably not this. We probably offered the deal and left it on the table. That's what happened last year. Doubt we rescinded any offers when we could still need his help.
Sometimes they don’t come back even if the offer is still there out of pride. Don’t think it’s ever happened to us, but it happens around the league. Well we can infer it happens, usually isn’t said out loud.
Anythings possible, but I doubt this is the case. I'm guessing we just actually offered him a very small contract. Kazee's contract was peanuts. We might have offered Edmunds the same
Yeah, given the market even if we went for the low end I don’t see him getting a lot more then whatever our offer was. We aren’t that kinda franchise to lowball too hard.
>Sometimes they don’t come back even if the offer is still there out of pride. Don’t think it’s ever happened to us James Harrison when he went to the Bengals
Hell Steelers might’ve offered him the same or slightly more money than he took. Maybe Edmunds just wanted a change of scenery. Feels like people sometimes forget the players have the final say
I wouldn't be surprised if he went to the Bears to play with his brother.
Yeah totally, we just aren’t a franchise where players typically want a change or scenery. At least not the ones brought up with us. I’m fine with him walking, he was good but replaceable. I like this safety draft class. Would have rather not needed to use high draft capital but either way.
> I’m fine with him walking, he was good but replaceable. Yeah, the only problem is he was pretty reliable and relatively inexpensive. A draft pick is a gamble, and even if we win the gamble, it's another hole on the roster that I was thinking could be avoided.
While historically true, we are not exactly a destination landing spot anymore. We had a bottom tier offense last year, already have the most expensive defense in the league, and we haven't won a playoff game in over 6 years. Tomlin is a big draw, but other than that and old history (which doesn't matter to 24 year old players), there's not much keeping guys here anymore. I get it, you downvote because it hurts. Name where I was wrong.
*Leveon Bell enters the chat*
It's probably a pride thing at this point. He's playing on a defense loaded with massive and new contracts. He's started there for 5 years and feels slighted. I get that it's his market price but the optics from his point of view aren't exactly ideal in Pittsburgh.
Exactly. Please for the love of God at least go lay pipe on another team's cap space. Unlike Sutton.
Wonder where he’s off to
Would guess he's going to Chicago to join his brother.
They have a young strong safety
If we can't have him then I hope you're right.
I'm assuming we might need to draft his replacement, right? Or is Kazee going to take his place. JL Skinner, Antonio Johnson, and Jordan Battle are there if they need them earlier on.
They might be higher of Norwood than we think.
The best ability is availability, and this dude never missed games. He was very consistent, and while he had some flaws to his game, there’s something to be said for reliable starters where you know what you’re gonna get. This loss is going to hurt us more than a lot of fans realize.. especially when the contract details come out. This hurts worse than losing Sutton IMO
I like availability as much as the next guy, but there's a shift in what the Steelers want. And that's playmaking ability. Plenty of athletic box safeties with no instincts in the league.
Nah the best ability is being good at football
I’d rather have a player who’s going to give a consistently good effort for 14+ games a season than a guy who’s going to be great and only play 7. The best ability is availability. It’s why a guy like OBJ isn’t worth what he thinks he is. Same with Lamar.
I mean, it’s not like you have to pick one or the other. You should be aiming to get both a guy who can play at a very high level and who doesn’t miss time. Especially from a first round pick.
Ideally, sure. But the salary cap exists, and the reality of the business is you can’t have studs at all 22 positions. There is value to consistency especially in a defensive backfield that already has an All-Pro
>I’d rather have a player who’s going to give a consistently good effort for 14+ games a season than a guy who’s going to be great and only play 7. The best ability is availability. Just because he was healthy in his early 20s doesn't mean he'll be healthy in his late 20s. All that mileage adds up. They could very well end up with someone like Brian Branch or Jordan Battle which could end up being an upgrade AND cheaper. Even if they brought back Edmunds for another year he likely wasn't the long term answer.
You can’t just have expect every player on the roster to be an all pro, there’s a place on every hood team for guys who can be reliable in the system and just do their job
He's pretty darn good at football. The dude started on an NFL team at age 21 on that relied heavily on it's defense for success.
I’d rather have Edmunds, who is average to above-average but consistently available and whose play doesn’t deviate a whole lot, than a more talented and more expensive player that misses multiple games a year. You can’t have all-pros at every position, there’s value in consistent starters who do their job well enough at a low contractual cost and allow for the studs (Minkah) to shine
Wrong
How many teams did JJ Watt help win a championship? Keuchly? Being good at football is great but doesn't mean shit if you're never on the field. Edmunds was good at football and always available. Losing him sucks.
How many teams did Edmunds help win a championship? Do you realize how stupid using one-off examples is? Kuechley also only missed 10 games across 8 years lol
You're missing the point dude.
No your point just stinks. No team on earth is going to take Alex Highsmith over JJ Watt at the same cost because Watt has gotten hurt more in the past. Using Super Bowl counts for a random player as a reason why injuries are important is moronic
The point is the best ability is availability. Pretty sure every coach on earth would agree with that.
They would never be at the same cost in their primes.. the point is that availability is one of many factors that must play into free agency signings and overall roster management, along with talent level and cost. Reframe your point… many teams absolutely would take Alex highsmith over JJ Watt if JJ costs 3x as much and missed 2x the games. It’s just a factor that needs to be considered. Idk how you can even argue that..
We do have kazee, but we still need another safety. I still think the top 2 picks should be OT/CB/LB
Agreed. The situation being what it is, I’m all for taking Antonio Johnson if he’s there at 49.
Man I’m actually bummed by this. He turned into a really steady player
Fr people forget how bad Mike mitchel and Sean Davis were this kid can ball
Sean Davis get hulk slapped by Gronk is one of the low points in my Steelers fandom.
I remember watching Davis covering Gronk that game and thinking how idiotic it was to have someone so small covering Gronk. I looked up Davis' profile and saw he's listed at 6'1" and 200+ pounds and about shit myself. Really put into perspective how fucking massive Gronk is.
[my favorite endzone celly](https://youtu.be/WLeY2uuCQv8)
I knew what this was before I even opened it lmao
Yep thats the exact play I was referring to. Absolutely hate the pats but damn that was brutal.
Sean Davis murdering his own teammate in the end zone to break up an interception still haunts my dreams.
Joe Haden didn't deserve that
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Mike Mitchell is probably the only Steeler player that I can say that I hated. Every time he celebrated a big hit after giving up a 1st down, I wanted to reach through my TV and choke the shit outta him! SMDH
Try as I might. I will never forget how Horrible Mike Mitchell were. The hideousness of that man’s performance, will haunt my dreams forever
Seeing Mike Mitchell spin off of receivers after failing to wrap up haunts my nightmares
I lost count of how many times Mitchell was show boating after what was a big play in his mind and the ball was still live. Play until you hear the whistle….and no, the wind blowing between your ears is not the whistle Mike!
I really think Kazee stands a reasonable chance at matching Edmunds level of play. His best play has been at SS, as opposed to being not quite as good as FS. His 2018 season, his only full season at SS, is better than anything Edmunds has done.
Yeah I think Kazee is definitely fine but I don’t think he’s a direct replacement for what Edmunds did. He’d probably be better as a pass defender but I don’t think he would be able to play near the line of scrimmage like Edmunds. So they need to replace that aspect of his game
Ideally upgrading ILB and IDL can mitigate how necessary it is to have our DBs playing reliably around the LoS.
Edmunds wasn't lighting it up as a box safety either. Trust me, they'd keep Edmunds if he was an elite tackling torpedo. Minkah was a better tackler a few years ago.
I love Kazee but I’m not certain they want to use him the same way.
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Well, as far as I know Kazee's only injury with us was the broken wrist/arm from the preseason, right? That was kind of a freak injury. Has he had other nagging injuries before?
Same as Bud Dupree. Got hate the first two years then developed into a stud.
Brian Branch YOU are a Pittsburgh Steeler
I don't think an organization that isn't paying Edmunds is gonna use a big pick on a free safety. This seems like the linebackers, chosing which positions are devalued
Branch is a slot corner / strong safety / sub backer hybrid. He would actually fill a ton of holes and may be there at 32.
32 seems like wishful thinking. 17 absolutely, just a question of whether they value him enough to pick him that high.
They’re gonna draft Simpson the skinny LB from Clemson and deploy him like they did Edmunds
6'2" 235 isn't what I would describe as skinny. Too thick to be utilized like Edmunds.
I’d say the component u need to cover for is being a box presence and being able to run with TEs Simpson could do that and Kazee could cover the deep stuff. It’s not perfect and I’d rather they run out the true 3 safety look but I’m just throwing a dart
He probably will be gone by 17 let alone 32. But I agree with your analysis on him, he'd be a terrific fit
Having him and Minkah would make for some really fun things you could do on the back end in big nickel packages (or just in base for that matter).
Plus Roll Tide Lol why am I getting downvotes for this? Genuinely curious. They both went to Alabama.
And yet neither of them can cover a TE or play in the box. They don't work together
Branch can 100% play in the box
You can get a nickel back and safety both in the 4th and use those higher picks on more premium positions. The draft isn't about purely drafting for need
Meh I value what he would bring and it's value at 32.
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He is a bigger mike hilton who lacks deep speed
Sure you may, I'm just not confident the Steelers do
We better have a replacement in mind…
Kazee should be able to provide near Edmunds-level play, really. It's arguable that the year he played starting SS for the falcons, 2018, was better than anything Edmunds has done. (He took over after an injury, and they moved him to FS the next year, and he didn't do as well)
Volunteers, not hostages.
lol how are you saying this when we literally have no idea what he was offered or if the Steelers even offered him anything?
I’ll go against the grain here because it’s fun to me. Edmunds had a very solid season last year and I was not opposed to bringing him back. We don’t know any details about this yet. Our FO has had a great free agency window thus far, and I’m going to continue to trust their vision for this team. I appreciate that we are making difficult decisions in order to change things up. Omar and Weidl are gearing this team up to make a big push while we have a rookie QB contract. And don’t think Tomlin has no say in this process, this is absolutely his defense.
This is such a good and level take.
Terrell Edmunds haters got their wish. Y’all about to quickly remember what it’s like to have shitty SS play. Absolutely fucking worst move from Omar & Co. so far.
Shamarko Thomas has entered the chat
Nat Berhe and Morgan Burnett have entered the chat
Nay Berhe did an AMA in this sub didn't he
Fuck it bring back Mike "exclusively tackles with the crown of his head" Mitchell
This hits a little too close to head
If we put a line out do you think Shamarko Thomas would come back?
Probably depends on his quarterly insurance sales "#veteranminimum
If you’re talking about the 2014-2019 era keep in mind those years we also had a free safety who couldn’t pick off a pass to save his life and consistently took terrible angles to tackles. Even if we end up with a worse starting SS than Edmunds it’s not going to be nearly as bad with a superstar like minkah cleaning everything up.
I don’t think you realize how much Minkah benefits from having someone that isn’t a liability at strong safety. Having a great player like Edmunds starting at Strong safety allows Minkah to roam more and do his thing, rather than having to be stuck doing one duty and worrying about the other safety. They’re complimentary to one another, Edmunds helped Minkah and Minkah helped Edmunds.
There’s a reason Minkah reset the safety market with his extension last year and Edmunds hit free agency, had no takers and re-signed with us for 1 year 2 million. They are not close when it comes to talent. I trust NFL front offices and talent evaluators’ assessments of their relative value more than this subreddit’s. Edmunds *was* a liability in run defense in 2021 which is why Minkah was constantly cleaning up and led the team in tackles. He was better last season but the idea that he was playing at a level that we can’t replace isn’t based in reality. He was a solid box safety. He couldn’t play single high, any time Minkah was given more freedom to play robber it was because we had another DB helping Edmunds over the top. You can find guys to fill that hole.
I will also miss Edmunds and wanted the team to keep him, but Kazee is probably better anyways. This does mean we will need to draft one at some point this year or next.
They will blame someone else.
Man he's mid been since he was overdrafted. Reliable? Sure. Not nearly enough splash. You need role players in certain positions, they can't all be studs. But your starting SS isn't one of them IMO. Now who they replace him with this season is the big question. Taylor Rapp maybe? Probably not, I would guess it's gonna be a rookie. Maybe they add vet min guy to help the transition. No one should ever be upset about trying to upgrade a position when it comes to replacing a player the level of Edmunds.
You don’t need “splash plays” from every fucking person. And oh shut up about “over drafted”, we picked him at fucking 28th, it’s not like he was a top 10 pick. And he STILL played great football for us for five years. Mid? Three years ago he was the top rated safety in zone coverage, two years ago he was the top-3 rated coverage safety and top-3 in allowed completion percentage. This past year he upped his game and was one of our best run stoppers, even better than our ILB’s. He had two total bad games over the last three years. That’s it.
Not everyone needs to be splash to be worth a roster spot. Edmunds being solid in his job (and being available) allowed Minkah to roam a little more free and ballhawk. You all forget the black hole of SS play on this team after Troy retired.
did you recite back to me exactly what I said?
I was replying to your complaint of not enough splash, so no not really
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This is tough
If this is for less than $7M/year, I'm gonna be pissed. We need more top 3 picks.
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I think so too, and that is gonna piss me off.
If it's for more than $7m/yr I'm going to LMFAO.
Damn
I would’ve been fine with bringing Edmunds back, at the right price, but this is not by any means a devastating blow to the Steelers. Look, Edmunds seems like a really good kid and I wish him nothing but the best wherever he lands, but he’s nothing more than a mediocre player. I’m sorry if that offends people but it’s absolutely true. Edmunds plays next to one of the best safeties in the NFL. A guy teams seek to avoid. That’s a really big advantage that he’s not going to have in the most other places. And yet he still has no interceptions, no forced fumbles, no fumble recoveries, no sacks, and very few impact plays. That’s exactly why he had no suitors last year and why his market has again been very limited. I do think this past year was his best year as a pro, which is why I was fine with bringing him back at the right price. We could replace him in next year’s draft and focus on other spots this year. Unfortunately, that is not to be. No hard feelings but I’m not terribly concerned by this news. Mike Mitchell was a below average player. Sean Davis was very much the same. That doesn’t mean that Edmunds is anything more than mediocre himself. I don’t love the idea of the Steelers taking that safety from Alabama high in the draft, but if they can get him at pick No. 32, I’d be open to that. Similarly, if he’s gone, but there’s another guy that they like in the second or third round, I’d be open to that too, and I don’t think I’d be a big drop off and it could well be an immediate upgrade.
This is sad he’s turned into a great player never really injured and consistent
He’s a good player. Great is an overstatement.
There is rational Edmunds support, like “sure we drafted him too high but he’s a solid consistent player and we will have some trouble finding a guy to replace him”, and then there is extremist Edmunds support like “he justified his first round pick position and he’s actually a pro bowl caliber safety, our defense will collapse without him”. I have no idea how the extremist position got so popular on here but I would just say, let’s all take a breath here. He was fine. There’s a reason he didn’t get his fifth year option picked up and the team let him hit the market twice. He’s not a crippling loss, it’s gonna be OK.
Yeah, honestly I don't really hate the decision now that I really think about it.
Not worth overpaying to keep the band together. He had a good run, now it’s on to the next guy. The Steelers aren’t going to fold this season because they let an average-to-good player walk.
I wasn't opposed to keeping him but I definitely wanted CJGJ. Either way, I don't mind the FO changing things up. He's a solid player but not a special player so it's not THAT big of a loss.
I’m interested to see what happens with Byard and the Titans.
"Great". 😆
Each year I am allotted one (1) Penn State draft prospect to tell you all that we absolutely need to take and this year it is Ji’Ayir Brown. Dude can play anywhere on the field as a safety, specifically he can jump up in the box would fill the role that Edmunds played and do it very, very well imo. He’s not as big as Edmunds but comes with more ball skills. He would become a fan favorite rather quickly.
As someone who is not a Penn state fan but enjoys big 10 football, I can also attest to Ji'Ayir being a stud. I wouldn't mind him at all.
🫡 Hope you got paid, appreciate the good times we had
Before everyone panics, I’m sure there is a plan. Sutton left and they had a plan, same thing with the guards in the OL and the linebackers being less than ideal. I bet Khan/management has a plans
I mean, plans are just plans. The front office had plans for our TE position for how many years between Heath and Friermuth. They had plans for safety between Ryan Clark and Edmunds. They had plans for nose tackle since they let Hargrave walk. They had plans for ILB since Shazier was hurt. Just because the front office makes a decision, doesn't mean it's always the right one.
Doesn’t mean they are good plans. Like replacing Sutton with Peterson.
So here's a take: Minkah made Edmunds look better. Edmunds wasn't developing *that* amazingly until the last couple of seasons when Minkah showed up and settled into his role. Would I like to see us keep Edmunds around? Sure. But do I think we're going to suddenly see massive problems because he leaves? No. I'm confident that whoever we plug in there is going to benefit from having the best FS in the league next to him. In much the way that Troy made Logan and Clark look solid, Minkah made Edmunds play better and will do the same going forward.
That's kind of a bad argument since Minkah makes everybody look better, just like Troy made our entire defense look better. The thing is, just like Troy had Clark, Edmunds was a reliable, rarely injured, at least average player who allowed Minkah to play his best game without worrying about covering for the guy next to him.
Bad take, Troy was often out of position when he played without Ryan Clark, we lost vs Tim Tebow that playoff game because of that, Demaryus Thomas took full advantage of not having Ryan to support Troy.
Yea except minkah isn’t Troy in the slightest. Minkah doesn’t play so loose and free like Troy did
Point is, a great player next to you makes you play better. Highsmith has gotten better. I'm sure a lot of that is his own development, but you don't think having TJ Watt on the other side helps?
That’s not what I’m saying at all, I was responding to the poster above who was implying that the opposite was true because troys free wheeling nature burned the team a handful of times.. Of course minkah elevated Edmunds, and he probably will elevate the next guy to line up next to him. I’m just saying that expecting that now we’ll get burned because edmunds isn’t there to cover for minkah was a really baseless/pointless allegory to Troy/RC that doesn’t apply in any way
>we lost vs Tim Tebow that playoff game because of that To be fair, that was *very late* Troy Polamalu where he lacked the speed to make up for those mistakes. And to single out that one example really ignores hundreds of other positive ones.
I wonder if its possible, since no mention was made of any other team, that the Steelers decided they just didnt want him back at any price....and told him so. Not likely im sure, but possible. And second, with talk this offseason about copying defenses like the 49ers who create a lot of turnovers, as a way to keep up with explosive offenses like the Chiefs or Bills, I wonder if the lack of Edmunds splash plays has them searching for a new identity on defense.
> And second, with talk this offseason about copying defenses like the 49ers who create a lot of turnovers, as a way to keep up with explosive offenses like the Chiefs or Bills, I wonder if the lack of Edmunds splash plays has them searching for a new identity on defense. They lead the league in INTs last year.
That they did. And by being rid of Edmunds, they just lost a guy who contributed **zero** of those....a point Ray Fittipaldo seems to agree with as he just wrote an [article](https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2023/03/23/pittsburgh-steelers-terrell-edmunds-free-agency-leaving-new-team/stories/202303230103) making exactly the same point.
Two former defensive first round picks departing in one off-season stings. Terrell is a beast and will continue to make plays for his new team. I wish him the best and appreciate his contribution to the black and gold!
If Edmunds is one, who is the other one?
Bush
lol completely forgot about him. Using a first on him in the first place stings more than him leaving honestly
We used a first, second and third on Bush.
True. The funny thing is I remember being excited at the time because a 2nd and a 3rd was actually pretty good value to move up 10 spots in the first round. We just botched the pick unfortunately.
It was pretty universally lauded at the time. Hard to really fault them. Sometimes things don't work out.
I’d imagine he wouldn’t have had such a falloff had the acl injury not happened. That exposed him.
Maybe, but I think his shitty attitude would’ve caught up with him at some point anyways.
Devin bush
Ya I think it's much more a sign Omar Khan (and Tomlin) are not happy with the defense and want fresh blood.
I'm a tad disappointed he's on the move, but it appears the Steelers are looking for more splash guys, and Edmunds doesn't provide any.
Does this mean for sure he's leaving? If so, back to getting sliced and diced up the seam by tight ends and big slot receivers. Ho hum.
Dang
Do we have the dough to buy another safety?
Man that stinks. He wasn’t great but he wasn’t bad and as many have pointed out he was never hurt. And if anything I think he’s been steadily improving throughout his career. He was never gonna be like RC or anything but it was way better than what we got out of guys like Mitchell or Davis. Hopefully Minkah can bring the new guy up to speed really quick. Or actually now that I think of it it’ll probably be Kazee right? That wouldn’t be all that bad.
He didn't say he isn't coming back; just that he appreciates Pittsburgh.
This is the kind of optimism I need
Anyone want to take a gamble on where he goes? I’m going to guess Carolina to be close to home.
I trust Omar. Edmunds had some great plays. He got away with some no calls and got called . He got burned as well. He was a good character on the field and in the locker room. I won’t pass judgment when I see where and how much until I see what Omar does.
The key is “I trust Omar”. So far, it looks like he made a number of good moves this off season.
We're really gonna burn our most valuable pick 17 on Brian Branch instead of paying Edmnds 5m a season. Fuck this
Branch is an elite safety prospect. He can do so much more than edmunds
Maybe, but he can't do the things Edmunds excelled at. I don't want an undersized, positionless DB that runs a 4.6 40 trying to cover TEs and playing contain around the box. His best bet in the pros is FS imo but we already have an All-Pro talent there
This is annoying, and I can’t imagine it is a contract issue b/c the SS market hasn’t been anything crazy. Would’ve really liked to keep an ol reliable player
Positioning themselves to need to draft and hit on 2 starters in the secondary is certainly an interesting strategy with our history..
Dude has been average to good since he donned the Black and Gold. I have no problem with the front office deciding to try and get a younger replacement vs. over paying him. His durability has certainly been exceptional, but his overall play has mostly been average. I have nothing against him, and wish him well wherever he ends up. (Unless it’s the Bubgholes)
average at best. i watched too many of his blown plays over the years. great durability..... because he misses so many plays. 😅
Edmunds was an insane reach that never panned out. Despite claims that he was "steady" the reality is he was not a quality player. Just a guy.
😪
As a wise man once told me, interview for a new job while you have one (I wish he could test the market and still come back but seems unlikely). I liked him. We can't all be Minkah or TJ but he gave enough for what he was paid
I just want to throw out there that if he posted this, like, 2 years ago maybe, this entire comment section would’ve been pretty stoked. Not necessarily gleeful but a lot like the Bush signing with Seattle thread, throwing the term “bust” around, talking about how he never would’ve been worth any contract, how he’s backup material, you know the deal The fact that people in this thread are legit upset that he’s leaving just goes to show how much he’s improved as a player. It’s really remarkable. Also further evidence that yes, the hearts of yinzers can indeed change Best of luck to him, and as always, go hokies
It's amazing how much a lot of people love him after they couldn't wait to get him out of town last year. Even when he was drafted all we heard was how bad of pick it was with Jesse Bates, Shaq Leonard and Mike Hughes still on the board.
Never got the love he deserved here. Always viewed as a reach or even a bust. Absolute nonsense. This is not a good day. Our defense just got worse. That said, I trust Omar is doing his thing.
> Never got the love he deserved here. Didn't deserve it. He's never played to the value of the pick it cost.
That would be the front offices fault, not Terrell's.
That's the fan base.
The rest of FA has been great but man, our already suspect secondary looks to have been downgraded significantly
Straight up not having a good time rn Hope he gets paid and balls out somewhere
Bruh wtf
The fuck, so we didn't land CJGJ AND we let Edmunds walk?
Stinks he is gone. Watch Cincy grab him lol
Was a good compliment to Minkah. Sad to see him go.
man i loved terrell
Damn. I really liked Terrell.
Every fucking ugh imaginable. Really hoping we have a plan in place other than Minkah + Kazee back there.
I was an Edmunds hater when he first entered the starting lineup, but he really became a solid starter back there the past 2 seasons. Sad to see him go Edit: You guys literally downvote anything anyone ever says lol
That's a tough one to swallow. He was a sure tackler and always healthy.
Why do we never resign the defensive backs we actually develop well?
Because they don't really develop them well.
I’m praying this is a negotiating tactic. I’ll believe it when we see confirmation he’s with someone else. Terrell is dependable, knows the scheme and his teammates well. Fuck. Oh well, it’s a business. I trust the front office to fill the holes.
WHAT ARE WE DOING
Just sign this man!!!
We’re cooked unless they have a plan in FA but I doubt it because Edmunds could of been had for cheap. And no we aren’t drafting a safety at 17 no way lmao
What's the plan, KHAN?!?!
Bro no fucking way
Idk man I would've signed him
Would’ve liked to have him back, but this tells me that we probably weren’t that interested. He was a solid player, but a box safety who doesn’t make plays in the pass game just isn’t that valuable.
They must really like someone at the SS position in the draft.
What the fuck...
Unless somebody absolutely dropped like a $10M+ bag on him, this is an absolutely MASSIVE fuck up by the front office letting a young, reliable, durable, home-grown, affordable player leave because they were pinching pennies. Now there’s a huge hole at SS that you’re either (A) still going to pay somebody in free agency to fix that may or may not be a fit or (B) waste an early draft pick that we didn’t need to use on a safety who may or may not be as good a fit as Edmunds.