Edmunds in line to make instant impact
LATROBE — Terrell Edmunds was talking to a reporter after yet another day of practicing with the Steelers’ first-team defense at strong safety, the position Troy Polamalu played, the position this year’s first-round draft pick appears to have no problem holding down.
That could make him different from Polamalu right away. Polamalu didn’t start a game as a rookie.
But here’s young Edmunds making it look easy with three interceptions, maybe a touchdown, and some brutish run forces on outside plays.
Edmunds is having a bit of a camp thus far.
“He’s a guy we’re really going to count on,” said nickel cornerback Mike Hilton. “He’s going to make a lot of plays for us.”
Edmunds is also humbled, no, embarassed at the invocation of the guy’s name who wore No. 43.
“Troy, he’s a great player,” said Edmunds. “I’m just trying to step in and try to do my own thing, try to make my own legacy, try to play my game.”
Does he hear that name, from coaches, teammates?
“No, and I don’t want to hear anything,” Edmunds said. “Everybody’s just trying to get better out here.”
Edmunds does wear 34, so that’s a bit different. But the hair does flow from the helmet and plays are being made.
Someone approached for 34’s helmet and gear. It was a rookie paying his respects to Edmunds and hauling it up the hill as Edmunds continued his interview. He was asked about the first few practices, when he didn’t make any plays.
“I didn’t make a play?” Edmunds asked, as another player, 10 yards away, overhead and hooted at the reporter.
Edmunds was again embarrassed.
“No, I made a play,” he said. “It just probably wasn’t no big-time, pop-out play. I was still making plays.”
And then he cut in front of Vance McDonald the other day to intercept Ben Roethlisberger and run with it down the sideline, and everyone noticed. It was one of those big-time, pop-out plays that Pro Bowl Steelers strong safeties have made on the way to every Super Bowl appearance.
“I feel as if I’m learning everything,” Edmunds said. “It’s coming together. Playing team ball.”
He would have to be. Veterans laughing at reporters on his behalf. Rookies carrying his gear. Edmunds is a rookie for crying out loud.
“I show respect to other guys, too,” he explained. “If they need me to take their stuff from them, I take it from them. It’s not like I’m trying to be that top-tier guy who thinks people should take their stuff. I show respect to other people, so they show respect to me. I’m just trying to be that guy in the locker room.”
It’s being noticed.
“Man, he’s a really good player,” said cornerback Joe Haden. “I think that real ballplayers get better when they put the pads on, and he’s one of those dudes. He’s physical. I love the way he does it. He doesn’t say too much. He just learns and tries to go hard and whatever coaches say, he doesn’t give feedback he’s just really trying to get it. He’s doing a really good job now with the ones. He’s usually back there with me. We have really good communication. He’s been making plays on the ball. He just has to keep his nose and keep grinding, and he’s going to be good.”
They came right at Edmunds on Thursday. He’s replaced free-agent acquisition Morgan Burnett (hamstring) since early in camp, and it appeared Mike Tomlin wanted to find out whether to begin thinking seriously about Edmunds winning that job. Three of the first four plays of the Seven Shots series from the 2-yard line went at Edmunds. He held his own.
To wit:
1. Jesse James beat both starting safeties, more so Nat Berhe, for a touchdown from Roethlisberger.
2. Darrius Heyward-Bey was the bottom of a two-WR crossing pattern and he beat Edmunds for a score.
3. Edmunds batted away a quick slant to Jaylen Samuels.
Edmunds was frustrated by the second score because he’s been working on his inside coverage. “If they beat me outside, I’m just going to have to use my speed and go get it,” was his reasoning.
And he has that kind of speed. The 6-1, 217-pounder uses it to come up hard and stretch running plays wide before blowing up the back.
“I have my own little mentality from my brothers,” he said of his practice philosophy. “We call it two percent. Just get a little bit better at something each and every day, that the small percentage of work is eventually going to add up to the bigger picture.”
Edmunds thought of it because it was half of his No. 22 in college, “because you couldn’t do 22 percent, that’s just unrealistic,” he said in all earnestness.
His older brother Trey plays fullback for the New Orleans Saints. His younger brother Tremaine plays linebacker for the Buffalo Bills. His father Percy was a Pro Bowl tight end for the Miami Dolphins.
Hilton, a physical presense in the secondary himself, pointed at them in praising Edmunds’ innate savvy.
“I think that just comes from him being a football family and being around it,” Hilton said. “It shows in the way he studies and the way he plays. He’s going to have a huge impact.”
“Oh, definitely, said Haden. “The ridiculous thing is, he’s a good football player, he understands ball. He’s a smart football player. He knows the checks, he knows the defenses. Now he’s just trying to get comfortable.
“He had OTAs and rookie minicamp, so he’s been out there just being able to get the calls, and now I can see he’s finally getting a little more comfortable. He’s not trying to figure out what to do, he’s figuring out his reads and his progressions. He’s moving on to the next step. The more he’s out there the more he’s able to make these mistakes, but he doesn’t make the same mistakes twice.”
“I’m getting everything down,” said Edmunds. “Everything is coming well.”
NOTES — Tomlin said WR Antonio Brown is being evaluated in Pittsburgh for what he called “a day-to-day type (injury) deal,” the same as LT Alejandro Villanueva (shoulder) … Burnett and FS Sean Davis are working off muscle pulls. … CB Artie Burns and WR James Washington returned. Both players had impressive Thursday practices … WR Marcus Tucker limped off the field after scoring and having his ankle rolled on. … LT replacement Chuks Okorafor struggled. … Hilton took several reps at safety with the third team to add to his versatility. “He’s a good tackler,” Tomlin said.