Fansided

3 players who won’t be on the Steelers roster after 2020 season

By Scott Rogust

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 30: Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers huddles with teammates during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field on September 30, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 30: Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers huddles with teammates during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field on September 30, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 3
Next
PHOENIX, AZ – DECEMBER 08: Bud Dupree #48 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on December 8, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. The Steelers defeated the Cardinals 23-17. (Photo by Rob Leiter via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ – DECEMBER 08: Bud Dupree #48 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on December 8, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. The Steelers defeated the Cardinals 23-17. (Photo by Rob Leiter via Getty Images) /

Pittsburgh Steelers. 1. player. 55. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. LB. Bud Dupree

We now venture to perhaps the most perplexing player on the Steelers roster: linebacker Bud Dupree.

The 2015 first-round selection showed himself to be a serviceable linebacker in his first four years in Pittsburgh. He never blew anyone away with his statistics in that span, but that all changed last season. Dupree played like a man possessed in 2019, where he posted 68 combined tackles, 17 quarterback hits, and 11.5 sacks through 16 games.

Related Story. 3 Steelers who could win awards in 2020. light

This lone season put the Steelers in quite the predicament, because it was the only time Dupree proved himself to be a stud pass rusher. Coincidentally, was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the start of the 2020 NFL year.

Did Dupree truly do all of this by himself? Or did he thrive off of the extra attention given to T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward? To solve this problem, Pittsburgh placed the franchise tag on Dupree for $15.8 million, which he happily signed.

If Dupree puts up similar numbers this upcoming campaign, the Steelers won’t be able to match the monster contract he’ll receive from one of the 31 other teams in the NFL. 2020 will be Dupree’s final season in Pittsburgh. You can guarantee that.

Home/Pittsburgh Steelers