The Pittsburgh Steelers have gotten underwhelming performances out of Bud Dupree in his first four seasons. Could this be the year he finally breaks out?
It’s been the same story the last four years with Bud Dupree: Fans would come into camp all excited about him, and he would be considered a breakout candidate for the Steelers on the verge of a monster season.
However, when the season comes to a close, we are left disappointed – realizing the former first round pick was nonexistent in some games, and finished the season in the ball park of 4.0-6.0 sacks.
Fans have had high hopes for Bud Dupree going on five years now. But could this be the season he finally does break out?
Bud Dupree was hard to ignore in his first preseason action against the Chiefs. The fifth-year outside linebacker was able to tally 3 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 pass deflection, and 3 quarterback hits.
Beyond just his numbers in the box score, Dupree was admittedly impressive. He was routinely able to cause disruption, and was just inches away from a few other sacks.
There is no question that the Pittsburgh Steelers front office thinks highly of the former 22nd overall pick from 2015. Though he managed just 5.5 sacks on 868 defensive snaps last season, Kevin Colbert didn’t hesitate to pick up his fifth-year option this season.
Dupree is now playing for upwards of $9.2M this season. He is the 6th highest paid player on the Steelers for the 2019 season, but his play to this point has not warranted the money he is receiving.
Bud Dupree knows that his entire NFL future is riding on the upcoming season. He has a chance to make very good money over the next several years (whether in Pittsburgh or somewhere else), so he understands the importance of having a productive season.
The Steelers will have a difficult decision to make next season. A good year from Dupree means that he played well, but could they trust him to repeat his performance? It will be interesting to see how Bud will perform this season, and whether or not Pittsburgh will choose to give him an extension.