Steelers Best Options at Safety If Terrell Edmunds Walks
Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety Terrell Edmunds is still unsigned heading into the second week of free agency. After being selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Edmunds would become a starter immediately, only missing one game of action in four years with the team.
Entering a contract year after having his fifth-year option declined, the former Virginia Tech Hokie would have another solid campaign, leaving many to wonder about his suitors in free agency.
With Pittsburgh electing to lock up Chukwuma Okorafor as their first priority in free agency, there's legitimate questions around his future in the Steel City.
If he does leave, the Steelers have options.
Jayron Kearse
A pre-draft visitor way back in 2016, Kearse never really developed into a starter in for the team that drafted him, the Minnesota Vikings. He's bounced around a bit but was quietly a rock solid contributor for the Dallas Cowboys last year, starting 15 games for their Dan Quinn's unit.
Sports Info Solutions has him charted for a 52.5 QB rating against for last season. Only star linebacker Micah Parson's had a better rating in coverage for the Cowboys last season among defenders with at least 15 targets.
Kearse is a capable strong safety that can also function as a dime defender if the Steelers add another piece in the draft that supplants him sometime next season.
Jabrill Peppers
This one would be gaining a lot more steam if Peppers wasn't recovering from an ACL injury that ended his 2021 season.
The Steelers were very flirtatious in their courting of Peppers in the 2017 NFL Draft, he was selected just a mere few picks before the Steelers were on the clock. Peppers is a jack of all trades type of player that has found a home at strong safety in the NFL.
During his time at Michigan, he played all over the football field but he does his best work when working downhill and playing near the line of scrimmage. Peppers also has experience returning punts which could be helpful given the loss of Ray-Ray McCloud to San Francisco.
Daxton Hill
Another Michigan product as we know the Steelers love their Wolverines. Hill is a versatile weapon in the secondary as he's played centerfield and as a strong safety before moving to the slot corner position last season.
Hill is a dynamite athlete with extremely impressive man to man coverage ability. He told the media at the NFL combine that he formally met with the Steelers earlier in the week.
You can expect that Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin will be at his Pro Day coming up, as well. Hill is a do-it all defender capable of making an immediate impact and is certainly worthy of a first round selection.
Lewis Cine
Georgia's defense is full of unbelievable athletes and good football players. It says a lot that Cine would stand out on film when watching a historically great defense with plenty of NFL caliber defenders.
Cine is ridiculous mover for his size, he ran a 4.37 40 yard dash at 6'2, 199 pounds. That speed shows up on tape, too. Watching Cine fly down the alley on run plays is like watching a car crash happen in real time. A physically gifted athlete who's also happens to be a sure tackler on the back end of the defense.
A formal meeting with the Steelers was not much of a surprise as he's seen his stock rising quickly throughout the draft process.
Juquan Brisker
One of the best and most versatile cover safeties in the class, Brisker has the profile and skills to match up with a lot of different body types. He met informally with the Steelers in Indianapolis. He played through a shoulder injury last season which affected his ability to act as a sure tackler. He still found a way to gut it out and still perform at a high level as a cover guy.
PFF charted him with just a single touchdown and two first downs allowed all season long. A very good athlete and his play strength is evident on tape. A noted weight room warrior which was evidenced by his 22 reps on the bench press at the combine.
If you're looking for a safety to match up with some of the more athletic tight ends in the league, Brisker is your guy.
Nick Cross
Cross is a really intriguing name to keep an eye on for the Steelers as he had a formal visit with Pittsburgh at the combine. He's probably going to go later than the three safeties in front of him but the athleticism is off the charts, he's a certified freak athlete. He's got a shorter, stockier build and ran a blazing 4.34 40-yard dash at the combine.
Cross can do a lot of different things, including play centerfield where you can use his unreal range to keep a lid on the defense. His final season at Maryland saw him see more playing time down in the box which showcased more of his versatility.
He does need to become a more reliable tackler which led to some big plays last season but he's a fun high ceiling, developmental prospect.
Overall
Ultimately, a Edmunds return would still be very much welcome as it would fill what is currently a glaring need for the Steelers defense. The free agent options, aside from Tyrann Mathieu, don't offer much splash. There are some bargain options available if you dig a little deeper.
It's worth noting that this safety class is very intriguing and the Steelers have also shown a ton of interest in some of these guys already. Not just with the guys listed above, they also met formally with Cincinnati safety Bryan Cook, among others.
The Steelers don't like to go into draft weekend with glaring needs that could force them into a corner to draft a specific position. Having said that, this group has more than enough talent to where you can feel comfortable about getting a starter early in the draft, if need be.
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