With Dupree’s recent ACL tear, here are four veterans that could fill in for him for the Steelers
Bud Dupree was having a repeat of his 2019 season, as he was on pace for double-digit sacks once again and was showing that he is a legitimate edge defender. Unfortunately, reports say he tore his ACL against the Ravens this past Wednesday, meaning the Steelers will have some roster shuffling to fill in for him. With that said, here are four veterans the Steelers should consider adding to the roster to help replace Dupree.
Important to note
This is in no way saying that the Steelers should sign one of these 30 plus-year-old players and start them. Instead, the Steelers should start rookie Alex Highsmith and keep Olasunkanmi Adeniyi as a rotational piece. Both have flashed in limited playing time, and both deserve a shot to show what they can do as a starter. That said, the depth chart is suddenly lacking, and for a team looking to make a Super Bowl push, having capable depth at a position as important as a pass rusher is a must.
As well, this group lost their veteran presence in Dupree to injury. While Jayrone Elliot is the eldest of the group, he is less of a true edge and is mostly just a special team’s presence. Adding a savvy veteran can give a good mentor to this group as well as aid Highsmith with his pass rush. Considering the practice squad can now accommodate these veterans, it makes even more sense to go after one of these older players. No, they wouldn’t be expected to start, but they would provide capable depth and aid the developing pass rushers that are now expected to play a lot more.
Terrell Suggs
While his name may leave a bad taste in your mouth, long-time rival Terrell Suggs is still available and wants to play. Despite playing for both the Cardinals and the Chiefs last year, Suggs amassed 6.5 sacks despite only serving as a reserve pass rusher. As well, the Steelers have had to play him often during his career. They know the type of player they would be getting, and his wealth of knowledge at age 37 could aid this group.
At his age, he may even be willing to take a spot on the practice squad to serve as a mentor in practice. That way, he won’t be worn out by seeing game time quickly and the Steelers can get him ready in case of injury. Ideally, he would stay there the rest of the season and wouldn’t see the field often. As well, if he can pass down some of his traits to the younger guys, he would be well worth the investment.
The biggest drawback is that if he was called up to the roster, he wouldn’t offer much outside of a rotational pass-rushing specialist. He doesn’t set the edge as he used to and he is a non-factor on special teams. Given the surplus of special team players that the Steelers have though, Suggs could get away with this. He may not be the best add on candidate, but the veteran would still have something to offer the Steelers.
Cameron Wake
You could honestly take just about everything that was said for Suggs and add it here for Cameron Wake. Both would offer the Steelers similar things, and both would be intriguing additions to the roster. That said, Wake is likely an easier player to consider adding as he doesn’t have the track record against the team that Suggs has.
Like Suggs, Wake showed that he is a fading talent, but one that may still have some juice left. He only notched 2.5 sacks last year for the Titans, but the whole unit there struggled to get after the rusher. Wake, if he ever saw playing time, would be lining up against arguably the best pass rusher in the league in T.J. Watt. He will have a great shot at flashing those pass-rushing skills that have made him such a success.
While Wake is the oldest player on this list at 38, he has the benefit of not starting his NFL career until he was 27 since he began in the CFL first. His best path on the roster is being added as a veteran to the practice squad first. There, he can get acquainted with the team and hopefully mentor the younger guys on the roster. As a “break glass in case of emergency” option, the Steelers could certainly do worse.
Brooks Reed
While the smallest name on this list, he makes the most sense for the Steelers. Brooks Reed has never been an elite edge rusher, but he is a multifaceted player and one that could be called upon in an instant if the team needed him. Reed has never had more than six sacks in a season, but the Steelers wouldn’t be expecting him to start anyway. The value he brings is veteran depth and the ability to play on special teams.
Despite being an established veteran at 32 last year, Reed still played 26 percent of their special team’s snaps. That makes him valuable, as the Steelers can still get use out of him outside of being pure depth at the outside linebacker spot. Throw in his solid play against the run, and you suddenly have a decent all-around option for this team.
The only drawback on Reed is his contract status, as he is currently on the Titans practice squad. This would mean that the Steelers would have to sign him to the active roster as opposed to having the luxury of adding him to the practice squad first. That said, considering he could get a helmet and play instantly for the Steelers, that issue isn’t a big deal. Reed makes a lot of sense here as he can play from day one on special teams and would provide good veteran depth.
Clay Matthews
It isn’t often that a potential Hall of Fame player is sitting as a free agent this long, but that is the case for Clay Matthews. The long time Packer completed a one-year stint with the Rams last year, but he hasn’t found any work since. Given his talent and versatility as a player, the Steelers shouldn’t hesitate to add him to at least the practice squad.
Matthews flashed last year, posting eight sacks in a more reserved role, but he was not brought back and has yet to find a home. With the Steelers, he could serve as both the veteran mentor and depth at both outside and inside linebacker as he has experience in both roles. While he may have been sitting out looking for a bigger role, offering him a spot on the currently undefeated Steelers may have enough appeal to bring him aboard.
While a week or two on the practice squad would probably do him well, he still has the ability to make an impact on the roster. As well, he could serve as a mentor to the other linebackers and give them additional tips on how to better their game. Out of all the veteran options, Matthews would have the best chance at making an impact and providing the best value for the Steelers.
While the loss of Dupree will be a hard one to overcome, the Steelers have a rookie with a bright future in front of him in Highsmith. That shouldn’t stop them from adding some veteran depth though. Keep these players in mind as potential roster adds in the coming week to help overcome Dupree’s loss.