Steelers sign longtime former safety Terrell Edmunds off Jaguars practice squad

The Pittsburgh Steelers reunited with an old friend, signing safety Terrell Edmunds off the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad.

A league source confirmed the signing to TribLive on Monday.

Edmunds was the Steelers’ first-round pick in 2018, and he spent his first five NFL seasons as the team’s starting strong safety. Edmunds missed only three of the Steelers’ 84 games (including playoffs) in that time. He started all but three of the 81 games he played for the team.

Edmunds signed with the Philadelphia Eagles before last season and was traded to the Tennessee Titans in October. He signed with Jacksonville in May but was part of their cuts at the end of training camp. Added to the practice squad, however, Edmunds was elevated to the game day roster Jacksonville’s season opener. Edmunds played six defensive snaps in the loss at the Miami Dolphins.

The Steelers have perennial All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick, veteran newcomer DeShon Elliott and veteran Damontae Kazee as part of their safeties corps. Miles Killesbrew is a safety but mostly contributes via special teams.

Jalen Elliott was a fifth safety on the season-opening 53-man roster, but he was designated an inactive for Sunday’s win at Atlanta. His release could be the corresponding roster move to Edmunds’ acquisition.

Edmunds, 27, has 96 games of NFL regular-season experience. He has six interceptions, 28 passes defended, 7 1/2 sacks and 458 tackles (310 solo, 17 for loss). He is more of an in-the-box, run-defending safety.

The Steelers in 2021 declined his fifth-year option for 2022 but ended up signing him for that season less the following spring.