Dupree 5th year option to be picked up

[RemoAZ]

Maybe they can add Dupree and Burns to Brown to make it "sound" like a huge package. Brown and two former #1's!

[steelmann58]

2 busts and a crazy ass demented wr wonder what the haul would be .

[Jobu]

2 busts and a crazy ass demented wr wonder what the haul would be .

This made me laugh...

[Steelafan77]

“With the start of the new league year just five days away, it would seem the Steelers will pay Dupree the $9.232 million, because there has been no chatter about any attempt to negotiate some other settlement – either a reduction or some kind of longer-term arrangement – and if and when those kinds of talks are happening something typically leaks to the media…”
“I’m not going to try to predict anything as far as his contract,” said Rooney. “I thought Bud had some good games and some other games that were probably not what you would want, but I think there was some progress there this year. We’re looking for progress from him again next year.” https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-by-position-olbs

Better be $9+Mil worth of progress....

[COR-TEN]

I don't see how they had a choice here. Bud is not a star, but he's not terrible either. Let him go and you have to address OLB again high in the draft. They have not been very successful in the draft with OLB lately, except for Watt. They also have not had success with CBs in the draft in a long time. The last really good one they drafted was Ike Taylor, and he was a 4th round flier from a small school. It's imperative that they use a high one here and make it a good one. Also a ILB with a high pick. I'm not worried about WR. Ben has a way of making stars out of mid round picks. Of them, only Emmanuel Sanders has proven his worth outside the Steelers org. Focus on a great CB and ILB.

^^^This makes a lot of sense. But the majority of posters here hate bud. Even though he improved last year.

[Lynch]

He is improving, I'll give him that. I think he's on a jervis like trajectory now, which is better at least.

[K_C_]

He is improving, I'll give him that. I think he's on a jervis like trajectory now, which is better at least.

A Jervis trajectory?

Jervis sucked day one and never improved one iota.

[alancac98]

I should have known. This team....

I wouldn't pay Dupree 3 million a year. Year after year of ineptitude. I don't think people realize how crippling Dupree is to this team. Go back and rewatch the defense tanking against Denver, San Diego, Oakland, and New Orleans. Just spend some time watching what Dupree does in passing situations with the game on the line. He's absolutely useless. Completely stuffed. Not even coming close to the QB.

It's just so EASY to block him. You can see it in the protections the other teams have against us...especially third down. Every 3rd down they shade protection over to TJ Watt (a real OLB) and then they double either Heyward or Tuitt. Dupree then easily gets handled by the OT.

I'm so sick of it. Sure we have holes in the secondary. But they could have been covered up by a better TIMELY pass rush on 3rd down. That just doesn't happen enough because of the massive weak link we have in Dupree.

We will continually struggle again on 3rd down unless Ola somehow takes a huge step this year and beats out Dupree for the job. (One can only hope.)

It doesn't help that the coaching staff is too stupid to understand in the 4th quarter that your top guys are wearing down and you have this young guy that's been on the bench all game and fresh. Hey, with 5 minutes left in the game, let's put the fresh guy in against that LT that has also played all game. Maybe he can make things happen. You know like the one game where Ola had something like 5 snaps and had one Sack and a few pressures. Then proceeded to never see the field again! Fucking brilliant coaching, right there!

[Lynch]

He is improving, I'll give him that. I think he's on a jervis like trajectory now, which is better at least.

A Jervis trajectory?

Jervis sucked day one and never improved one iota.

I dunno man. I saw jervis start being able to beat a TE here and there that last year here. I think Dupree is getting close to being able to do so. I'm thinking this is his year.

[Scunge]

Jarvis Jones had 6 sacks and 17 QB hits in his 4 year Steeler career.

Bud dupree had 5.5 sacks and 13 QB hits last season. To compare the two is ludicrous.

Bud had 20 sacks and 33 QB hits for his 4 year career thus far and most of that has been with him playing with one injury or another. There is something to be said for having a player willing to play through injury but I do think it is hampering his development. Also, the move to the right side was new for him and I think with an offseason and training camp and hopefully with Butler back as the OLB coach, Bud will improve some more.

[K_C_]

He is improving, I'll give him that. I think he's on a jervis like trajectory now, which is better at least.

A Jervis trajectory?

Jervis sucked day one and never improved one iota.

I dunno man. I saw jervis start being able to beat a TE here and there that last year here. I think Dupree is getting close to being able to do so. I'm thinking this is his year.

Um....no dude.

Just no.

[Lynch]

Shit a this rate he may notch 6 sacks this year. He's progressing faster than I thought.