Why Steelers Bud Dupree should be top priority despite tight cap space
Bud Dupree should be a top priority
Fast forward to today, and Dupree, in a contract year, is on-par to not only live up to the hype as a first-round pick but on-par for his first Pro Bowl berth. He’s merely balling out of control.
By my count, Dupree has racked up 10.5 tackles of three yards or less, 4.5 tackles for no-gain, seven tackles for loss resulting in 23 yards of field position, 6.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery through the first 10 games this season.
Not this year. You see his film? Like AA playing in contract-year. That 5th option got him hungry. Which is why team traded for Minkah. They're banking on Dupree being the answer opposite Watt, if they didn't they would've kept potential top pick & targeted FS Grant Delpit. https://t.co/lsn8RxbX78
— Ryan Sakamoto (@BEASTwriter) September 21, 2019
Aside from that, he has been on point in maintaining his gap integrity and setting the edge assignments, being out of position only four times by my count, while having only three missed tackles on the season in run-support. That’s a player who is not only living in the backfield but maintaining discipline, staying true to his technique and the scheme.
The time is now to give Dupree his well-earned contract extension to keep him in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future. He’s proven to be a dynamic pass-rusher who can double up as a stout run-defender while being versatile enough in space to cover running backs and tight ends coming out of the flats. It’s what made him a highly coveted player, very much like ILB Devin Bush was this year for the Steelers.
Steelers DT Javon Hargrave said he expects to play out the final year of his contract without an extension, but he's not concerned with that. "That’s what it’s looking like...Just focused on having a good year this year and hopefully we win the Super Bowl."
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 2, 2019