Former Steelers first-round pick Bud Dupree choses Falcons over reunion in Pittsburgh
Behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith lies a big question for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Depth at edge defender remains a need for the defense, and a potential answer has just signed elsewhere. Per Zach Klein of WSB-Ch.2 Atlanta, former Steelers first-round pick Bud Dupree agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Pittsburgh was hoping […]
Behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith lies a big question for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Depth at edge defender remains a need for the defense, and a potential answer has just signed elsewhere.
Per Zach Klein of WSB-Ch.2 Atlanta, former Steelers first-round pick Bud Dupree agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
Pittsburgh was hoping to reunite with the Dupree just years after the two parted ways.
Instead of taking a multi-year deal with the Steelers, Dupree decided to bet on himself in a defense that's added several new faces.
Dupree played six years with the Steelers, recording 39.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles in 81 games played. The 22nd overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft left for the Tennessee Titans in 2021, a year after Pittsburgh placed the franchise tag on him.
The Titans signed Dupree to a five-year deal worth up to $82.5 million, but he only saw two years and $35 million of the contract as he was released last month.
Bringing Dupree back into the fold on an affordable deal would've granted the Steelers comfortable depth at an important position, instead, they'll be forced to look elsewhere with less than two weeks remaining until the NFL Draft.
Pittsburgh is still expected to target cornerbacks and offensive tackles early in the Draft, but we can't discount their on-going need at pass-rusher now.
