Now that the 2021 offseason has begun, following yet another year of disappointment, a fourth consecutive season with no postseason victories, it’s time to take stock of where the Pittsburgh Steelers stand. Specifically where Steelers players stand individually based on what we are seeing over the course of the offseason as it plays out. We will also be reviewing players based on their previous season and their prospects for the future.
A stock evaluation can take a couple of different approaches and I’ll try to make clear my reasonings. In some cases it will be based on more long-term trends. In other instances it will be a direct response to something that just happened. So we can see a player more than once over the course of the season as we move forward.
Player: S Terrell Edmunds
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: While there is still room for improvement, Terrell Edmunds did make noticeable strides in his game during the 2020 season, his third in the league since being drafted in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Terrell Edmunds was something of a surprise first-round pick when his name was announced, and he has been the subject of heavy criticism since then—literally since then, well before he ever stepped on a professional playing field, mind you.
Having just turned 24 years old about two weeks ago, he still has plenty of upside in terms of potential future development, and the fact that he took steps forward in his game during the 2020 season is an important indicator that he is still growing.
One needs only look to Bud Dupree for an example of a former first-round pick who initially underperformed only to eventually live up to his billing. Perhaps Edmunds is never going to become a borderline Pro Bowler, as Dupree has, but he can certainly become a dependable if unremarkable starter.
The question is whether or not the price is right. Edmunds only has one year left on his rookie contract if the Steelers do not exercise his fifth-year option, which I sense that they will not, as it would be costly, and it would be guaranteed. They will probably be hoping to sign him to a cheaper deal around this time next year instead.
Minkah Fitzpatrick has talked on numerous occasions about how well the two of them work together, and how he can see them playing in tandem for a long time. If they can keep them together without breaking the bank for their strong safety, it certainly would be advisable, with the upside of the possibility of Edmunds continuing to get better over the course of the years.
