Wasted Money: Why the Pittsburgh Steelers shouldn’t pick up Bud Dupree’s option

By no means, would picking up Bud Dupree’s option be a smart move by the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Bud Dupree with the 22nd pick of the 2015 draft. At the time, the Steelers needed depth at outside linebacker and some were calling Bud Dupree a steal. He had the raw tools as a pass rusher and had developed some coverage skills in his time at Kentucky. It seemed like a natural fit for the Steelers.

Dupree has now played three seasons and has not lived up to the hype. The big thing that teams look for from their pass rushers is a lot of pressures and sacks. The Steelers also ask their outside linebackers to drop into coverage and be linebackers in run defense. This is a lofty expectation and probably explains why the Steelers have invested significant draft resources into the position. The Steelers have drafted the outside linebacker position in the first round three or the last five years.

Now I think the reason that Dupree should not be kept is that the pressures and sacks have not lived up to the first round billing. I do acknowledge that the position has evolved over the years and there is a greater emphasis on dropping into coverage. However, if the Steelers pick up Bud Dupree’s option, they will owe upwards of 9.8 million dollars for the 2019 season. That means if they want to sign him to an extension, they would tell him he is worth at least ten millions dollars a year as a starting point.

That is why I think the Steelers ought to let him play out his last year on his contract and walk at the end of his rookie contract. The Steelers will also benefit in terms of the compensatory formula if they let him sign with another team.

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I do acknowledge that the Steelers will then have to replace Dupree with a starter at a key position in the defense. It may even be worth it to invest an early to mid-round pick on an outside linebacker to see if he can develop into a starter in his second year. Otherwise, they will have a gap at the left outside linebacker position which is one that is difficult to replace. The Steelers were able to pick up T.J. Watt in last year’s draft, but last year was a deep year for edge rushers.