Why Steelers Bud Dupree should be top priority despite tight cap space
Bud Dupree should be a top priority
In his third season, Dupree would have a respectable year racking up a career-high 40 tackles and 6.0 sacks. For the first time in his career, Dupree put together a relatively healthy season where his play shined in 15 games of action.
Immediately after the year ended, the ball was now in the Steelers court, on if they should pick up Dupree’s fifth-year option. They did, investing over $9 million in their 2015 first-round pick for the 2019 season. For those who don’t know, under the CBA, every first-round pick is signed to four-year contracts, with a club option for a fifth season.
Colbert saw enough potential in Dupree’s play, despite the injuries, to give him two more years. “We’re excited about where he can be in the next two years, we had no hesitation making that deal,” Colbert said.
Consistency would be the key entering 2018, where health is of the utmost importance. Again, Dupree didn’t disappoint, as his play continued to trend upward, finishing the year with a career-high 42 tackles while racking up 5.5 sacks playing opposite OLB T.J. Watt, in all 16 regular-season games.
It appeared that Dupree was finally coming into his own. His last two years have been injury-free while racking up 11.5 sacks as the team’s starter. Respectable but not great. The Steelers needed to see more, and so did I.
3. OLB Bud Dupree's rise: If the #Steelers picked top-five next year and went defense, they would've surely targeted DE/OLB Chase Young (Ohio St.) But Dupree has really come on, in his first contract year, just like AA. So extension may be in play if he proves to be consistent.
— Ryan Sakamoto (@BEASTwriter) September 17, 2019