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Why Dupree and Hilton should top off-season priority list

By Brandon Kring

PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 28: Bud Dupree #48 of the Pittsburgh Steelers attempts to pump up the crowd in the second half during the game against the Miami Dolphins at Heinz Field on October 28, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 28: Bud Dupree #48 of the Pittsburgh Steelers attempts to pump up the crowd in the second half during the game against the Miami Dolphins at Heinz Field on October 28, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 08: Outside linebacker Bud Dupree #48 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates a sack on quarterback Kyler Murray (not pictured) in the first half of the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on December 08, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 08: Outside linebacker Bud Dupree #48 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates a sack on quarterback Kyler Murray (not pictured) in the first half of the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on December 08, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

Bud Dupree is top priority

Dupree had been labeled a bust already by most and, at the beginning of the season, I would have agreed that they should keep Hargrave over Dupree. However, Dupree turned up the juice and played the way the Steelers envisioned when drafting him.

He and Watt formed one of the best edge-rushing duos in the league combining for 26 sacks, 30 TFL, 12 forced fumbles, and 53 QB hits. The payoff of them finally clicking was tremendous as they helped the Steelers finish number one in the league in sacks with 54.

Dupree was in a contract year so, yes, paying him is scary. At this point, however, the defense that played together last year should face as little turnover as possible and keeping the Dupree-Watt tandem alive goes a long way in providing continuity for the defense to build of its 2019 season.

Bud is an elite run defender and has been the majority of his career so the pass rush finally coming may be a sign he’s put it together. He has shown slight improvement each year and he was always around the QB but never finished. Now that he is finishing the sacks, the Steelers can’t let him get away and take that development elsewhere.

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