An interesting sidebar to the Steelers' season is being provided by outside ‘backer Bud Dupree.
Dupree was garbage his first four years with the Steelers after being their first-round draft pick (22nd overall) in 2015. But now, as he makes $9.2 million, Dupree is playing for his next contract and is sparkling.
Dupree has six sacks on the season, a career high. Against Indianapolis on Sunday, Dupree had two sacks, two tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. That’s a performance worthy of T.J. Watt, except Watt didn’t wait four years to start delivering at that level.
But there’s no way the Steelers should re-sign Dupree, or franchise him. Let him go to free agency.
Dupree is having a great year. But he had four rotten years. You can’t trust Dupree to suddenly be consistent.
This was always going to be Dupree’s last season in Pittsburgh. If he didn’t deliver, the Steelers wouldn’t want him. If he did, the Steelers couldn’t afford him.
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