4 reasons Steelers LB Devin Bush will be better in 2022

3. He will be playing for a new contract

While the Steelers have not yet made an official decision on whether or not they will pick up the fifth-year option for Devin Bush, it is very unlikely that they will. With Bush disappointing thus far in the NFL, and not proving he can stay on the field, the Steelers are unlikely to guarantee him money beyond this season.

As a result, if his fifth-year option is declined, he will be an impending free agent, playing on the last year of his four-year rookie contract. Players across sports playing in a contract year often have their best seasons, and there’s no reason to believe that it is impossible for Bush to do the same. While, nobody is saying Bush wasn’t playing hard this year, playing for a new contract could serve as extra motivation for the young linebacker who is only entering his age 24 season.

With a strong season, Bush would become an attractive free-agent target for any team in need of an off-ball linebacker, which has become an integral position in the NFL. Speed and athleticism are why the Steelers traded up for Bush, and while it is not yet known if he can ever be as explosive as he once was, if he can prove to teams that he is, he can be looking at a significant raise next offseason, whether it is with the Steelers or somewhere else.