5 Steelers players we should be careful not to overrate

Bud Dupree

Some fans may not agree with this take, but Bud Dupree isn’t as good as his statistical production might suggest. It’s important to not just look at raw numbers here; they don’t tell the whole story.

For someone looking at Dupree’s production in 2020, you would think that he’s on pace to be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. He has 5.0 sacks in just 5 games this season (number one on the team). However, many of these have come on plays where he has been unblocked.

We all know Dupree is athletic, and his explosion and intensity routinely show up on film. However, anyone who thinks that Bud Dupree is on par with T.J. Watt needs to have their credibility questioned.

When you truly break down the film, Watt is a far superior football player who can consistently beat double teams to do a ton of damage in the backfield. Even when he’s not getting credited for a stat, Watt is making his presence felt.

Dupree is not like that. His sack numbers would suggest that he deserves to have his name thrown in the discussion for Defensive Player of the Year this season, but we know better. Though he’s no slouch, Dupree really is the ‘Robin’ to T.J. Watt’s ‘Batman.’ He’s turned out to be a very good football player, but he’s not an elite NFL edge defender; he’s more of a product of playing on the league’s most talented defensive line.