Is OLB Bud Dupree someone the Pittsburgh Steelers should sign?
In late May of last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed veteran OLB Markus Golden to a one-year deal. They appear to be interested in receiving some veteran aid once more as the middle of May draws near. Bud Dupree has apparently been in contact with the Steelers for the second year in a row.
Although many might not recall, Dupree and the Steelers met last year. At the end of March, they invited him into the facility for a free agency visit, but he declined to sign. He really signed with the Falcons after going unsigned for almost a month.
Naturally, he played there for head coach Arthur Smith, who is currently the offensive coordinator for the Steelers. However, Dupree is still here and was previously coached by Mike Tomlin with the Steelers, so it’s not like he needs a familiar face. There are still men around because in 2021 he left in free agency. It goes without saying that Alex Highsmith, T.J. Watt, and Minkah Fitzpatrick are among the others, as is Cameron Heyward.
Dupree would be Watt and Highsmith’s backup if the Steelers choose to re-sign him. Furthermore, Nick Herbig, a 2023 fourth-round pick who showed promise as a rookie despite getting little playing time, might be his primary backup. It makes sense why the Steelers would desire to have Herbig on the
Nevertheless, they were able to play Herbig and Golden last year despite not having any serious injuries. This year, they might play both Herbig and Dupree. It’s excellent that they understand how important it is to have two or more competent deep edge defenders.
It’s worth mentioning that Golden, who performed admirably here the previous year, is still unsigned. Although I have already argued in favor of the Steelers calling him back, Dupree is probably a very similar move. Even though he played 724 snaps last season, he only managed 6.5 sacks for the Falcons. Since leaving the Steelers, it was his most successful and healthy season to date.
The Steelers’ 2023 campaign has come to an end, culminating in a depressing, lopsided playoff defeat—a fate that many other teams have shared in recent memory. Their complete absence from the playoffs is the only alteration in recent years. However, they now face yet another lengthy offseason after being thoroughly embarrassed by the Buffalo Bills in the Wildcard Round.
The quarterback position is the one that the team is most concerned about. Are they squandering a year, or does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team? Will the Steelers let him go after just one season or will he play one more season before leaving? In what way will the group handle the depth chart?
The Steelers have already used up their free agency period, and their 2024 roster and draft choices are starting to take shape. They signed, traded, and released a number of times. They appeared more at ease leaving gaps than usual, sure they could fill them. But now that we have so many more parts of the puzzle, all we have to ask are other questions.
