Far be it for me to say I told you so, but sometimes total honesty is the best policy.

When the Steelers were unable to come to an agreement with free agent SS Terrell Edmunds last offseason, I expressed my concerns. We may never know what difficulties arose during negotiations, but numerous tidbits of information have been leaked since that time.

Edmunds reportedly was seeking some semblance of job security from the only franchise he had ever known at that point. A simple two or three year offer would have probably got the job done. He was already one of the lowest paid starting safeties in the NFL. Especially for a first round selection who had been a starter from basically Day 1.

The portion of the fanbase who never forgave Edmunds for being over drafted were certainly vocal about their displeasure. They were even more noisy about his lack of splash plays generated. They saw little value in his reliability, durability, or his availability. Safe to say, I have never been part of that portion of the fanbase.

Edmunds greatest ability was seldom mentioned: his presence allowed Minkah Fitzpatrick to be the best ball hawking free safety in the NFL. We seldom received the opportunity to experience what life would look like without Edmunds because the young man seldom missed a series, much less a complete game, but we received a prolonged glimpse during the 2023 season. As I expected, the results were not good.

The Steelers tried to replace the team first, last line of defense efforts from Edmunds with a committee approach. This shortsighted attempt failed miserably. The Steelers apparently intended for Damontae Kazee and free agent acquisition Keanu Neal to fill Edmunds’ sizeable shoes. After all, it shouldn’t be hard to match the contributions of a man who seldom if ever contributed splash plays. Right? Wrong!

What ended up happening is exactly what I was must concerned would happen. In one of my final preseason articles, I stated that my biggest concern for the 2023 Steelers was that they hadn’t adequately addressed the strong safety position. I was concerned about how this development would impact Minkah Fitzpatrick, who had developed a special rapport with Edmunds. Like Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu before them, Edmunds selfless sacrifice allowed Fitzpatrick to do what he does best; be the best free safety in the league.

What a difference one underrated and underappreciated strong safety can make. For the first time in his splendid career, the supreme ball hawk Fitzpatrick failed to register a single interception. Even worse, he didn’t manage a single splash play. Some of you maybe asking yourselves how could one player make that much of a difference? The answer is surprisingly simple: the selfless Fitzpatrick was forced to play too often out of position without his talented running mate.

Fitzpatrick is another team first warrior. The type of player that sees a need, and does whatever necessary to fill that need. The Steelers needed an extra defender to drop down in the box in run support, especially when starting inside linebackers Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander were lost for the season midseason, so Fitzpatrick valiantly and selflessly stepped into the void. Fitzpatrick makes the big bucks because of his ability to take the ball away from the opposition at a higher frequency than most, not because of his willingness to fill every role for his defense. Especially when the need was created by his own front office.

So what needs to happen now? First off, the Steelers need to adequately address the position. I honestly don’t care if it’s through free agency or the draft, but the Steelers need a serious upgrade at the position. Therein lies the rub. The Steelers need upgrades at multiple positions this offseason, and there are only so many draft selections and cap space to go around. The Steelers could really use some wisdom and good fortune this offseason.

If the Steelers decide to go the free agency route, there really is no reason for them to break the bank. As I mentioned earlier about Terrell Edmunds, the Steelers just need a reliable contributor to pair with Fitzpatrick, so that Fitzpatrick can go back to doing what he does best. But as the Steelers learned the hard way this season, that often easier said than done.

There are multiple realistic options available in free agency. I say realistic because of projected cost, and fit within the defense. Especially with Fitzpatrick. That rules out a standout like Antonio Winfield, who will undoubtedly be way out of the Steelers price range. The Steelers should be interested in these attractive options: Kyle Dugger, Kamren Curl, and Xavier McKinney. All three of these young men are just hitting their second professional contract, were members of the 2020 draft class, and have shown impressive improvement each year of their careers.

Dugger has learned his craft at the feet of the master, Patriots HC Bill Belichick. As we already know, you must have an above average football IQ to play for Belichick. Dugger has impressive versatility, but particularly excels around the line of scrimmage. He also displays strong coverage abilities, especially against tight ends. Dugger is also an accomplished blitzer.

Kamren Curl is a former seventh round selection for the Washington Commanders who has exceeded all reasonable expectations. Another versatile performer, Curl grades high both in coverage and the box. He is considered an underrated up and comer around the league, and is poised to see his first substantial NFL contract. Similar to Edmunds, Curl doesn’t create many splash plays; but he is reliable, durable, and just entering his prime.

Last but certainly not least, we have Xavier McKinney. McKinney is the youngest of the three, and he has the most impressive draft pedigree. He was a second round selection out of Alabama by the New York Giants. Mainly deployed as a deep safety early in his career, McKinney has shown consistent improvement around the line of scrimmage in recent seasons. He has proven to be an excellent open field tackler, making him a reliable last line of defense. Combined with his solid coverage grades, McKinney should be the type of safety who would peak the Steelers interest.

Lest I forget, the aforementioned Terrell Edmunds is once again a free agent. We can only wonder if a well deserved reunion could somehow be in the cards. Consider me all in on that possibility.

I will be writing future articles about potential draft prospects at different positions of need for the Steelers, but that’s after additional information is gleaned from Combine testing. For now, my articles will focus mainly on free agency.