Bud Dupree is the perfect candidate for a one-year tag

No they have to july to work on a deal and if they do get one it will change his cap number. If they don't and he signs the tag we are stuck at the 15.8 number.

 

Hey Disco1981. I am with you.

Yes, I admit Bud did "improve". However, I use the word "improve" very lightly and somewhat skeptical. Sure statistically he did. However, the question is ….Why?

• Did the proverbial light finally go on?
• Was he the recipient of a better supporting cast?
• Switching sides with TJ?
• Better coaching?
• Was it money driven? Last year on a contract. I do not really believe this one. Too risky as I have stated before. Only a fool would chance to play below par for four years and turn it up on the final year of a contract knowing that he can be released anytime along the way during that 4-Year period. And only a fool in management would fall for that.

Also, he improved somewhat. However, not by leaps and bounds. As you stated and I agree: "He still really didn't "explode". Do not get me wrong I am happy for the man but it has now created a negotiating pain in the rear because it took until his final contractual year to pull it together. Now we have to either Tag him or let him test the Free Agency waters and possibly lose him. If he had broken through just one year earlier we would not be in this negotiating dilemma with Bud. I hope Edmunds gets it together this year (Year #4). Otherwise, we will be in the same boat if the Front Office decides to exercise the fifth year on his contract. Take care my friend.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

Lots of money wasted on the Woodley last contract, chickillo, Jones, the way harrison went out and first 4 years of bud and trying to fill these spots. I think Colbert is trying to save face. He had no choice but keep bud until he retires after this year. Just a hunch. Lots of wasted money and years in between.

 

I'm probably in the minority here, but I think Ola Adeniyi and/or some middle-of-the-road OLB free agent would have been more than adequate.

 

FYI @thesteeldeal and @NY STEELERFAN

OLB Kyler Fackrell signed with the Giants. One year prove it deal for 4.6 mill

 

Why would he come here? We're still pushing Bud's ten year development plan.

 

Bud Dupree will retire?!?!?!

 

Hmmmmmm is that more or less than 15.8 mil???? Still would have money left for both Hilton, Feiler and another. I am pretty sure people were telling us he would get more........... 4.6 mil makes me sick

 

It will be interesting to see how he does wtih the Giants, he won't have much help there, that's for sure.

 

Colbert.

 

Those 23 tackles and that one sack he had while playing all 16 games last season really had teams ready to open their wallets.

 

Oh... I see. Do you believe in Brandon Hunt?!

 

Agreed and definitely would have had more help here but oh well......we got Bud.

 

Yeah well if I recall you said he would get more a month ago when a few of us were talking about guys to bring in instead of paying Bud 16 mil. I would be willing to say if you put him here he would produce more then them 23 tackles and one sack.

 

It's not like he didn't have talent around him in Green Bay. The Packers had a good defense in 2019 and Fackrell could barely get on the field. He played in all 16 games, so he was healthy. He just wasn't good enough.

The bar for replacing Dupree should be a hell of a lot higher than "more than 23 tackles and one sack." Of course he would have had more if the Steelers brought him in to start. Hell, Fackrell barely did more than Chickillo (19 tackles and half a sack) in 2019 even though Chickillo missed five games.

Fackrell has never even been good enough to be a full-time starter in the NFL. Dupree was a complete player last year. He improved a great deal against the run and he could always do a decent job in coverage.

If anything, the cheap deal Fackrell makes it very clear that he was not a legitimate option, that the league saw him as someone comparable to Chickillo, not Dupree.

The Steelers made the decision, one they seemed very sure of all along. They wanted Dupree back. The only question now is which do you want more? Would you rather the Steelers profit by you being wrong or would you rather they struggle because you were right?


Most of the people who talk about Dupree being a fluke focus on what changed to make him more productive in 2019. What they miss is those factors seem to be in place again for 2020. He is still in a contract year, this time under the franchise tag so he knows free agency is coming and next time the Steelers won't be able to keep him from it. The improved secondary allowing the pass rushers more time to get to the quarterback should return intact. He still has Watt and Heyward helping to draw blockers. He rushed more often than ever in 2019, but it seems unlikely that will change.

The big difference on defense is the loss of Hargrave. Obviously, the hope is that the return of Tuitt alleviates that problem. Injuries can always ruin a defensive unit, but Dupree seems to be in a situation to duplicate his 2019.

That said, if the Steelers do negotiate a long-term deal, that would concern me because Watt needs to be the higher priority and it would be tough to lock him up next offseason if they don't have Dupree coming off the books.

 

why do you think he takes over when Colbert is gone?

 

Well you have you opinion and I have mine, but if you are going to talk about a players know you stuff. Frackell in 2018 had 10.5 sacks then the Pack went out and spent a lot of money on two guys the Smith boys so that cut into Frackells playing time in 2019.
Now you want to point out stats we just spent 16 mil on a guy who had 11.5 sacks last year and guess what? He never had more than 6 in a season, he has had 4 - 4.5 - 6 - 5.5 in that order. So what shows Bud can repete, we don't know that he can just like we wouldn't know if Frackell or any other FA we talked about can either. What we do know is they will come a whole lot of a heck cheaper and we could of used that cash to build up the rest of the team. We also wouldn't have had to restructure Ben and push his money to next year cause a 41 mil cap hit in 2021!

 

I gotta agree. There is not a lot of difference in buds first 4 years and fackrells. Sacks, tackles and qb hits are all pretty close with bud having way more plays and starts. Oh and a lot more money spent for the same.

 

Who else would it be?! It has been already hinted before that Brandon Hunt is the likely incumbent. Keep in mind he is the Head of Pro Scouting. He already has experience in scouting collegiate talent and has been doing it for a while now. No where to go but up from here.


Some say Omar Kahn but I doubt he would be up for the position. Sure, being a GM means you have to navigate through contracts of players. That said, that is not a GMs main purpose. Acquiring and developing talent that co-signed with not just the Head Coach but the entire coaching staff is a main component of being a GM.

 

I don't trust a lot of what buchette says. And no I'm not crazy about hunt as GM. A lot of tools in the mix to go with a few flat tail hang one that he and Colbert are claiming success towards. But that is me personally.

 

Ola hasn't shown anything except in the preseason

 

You think the Packers spending money on guys to push Fackrell to the bench doesn't support my argument? Why would they do that unless thy realized he wasn't good enough to be a starter? Everything else about him says the 10.5 sacks were a fluke in the career of a guy who is comparable to Chickillo, the player the Steelers just cut.

Dupree has shown he can actually be a starter in the NFL, something Fackrell hasn't done. He grades out better as a run defender. He was an average player before last season, which is still a hell of a lot better than Fackrell. You seem to be operating under the assumption that Fackrell's 2018 was comparable to Dupree's 2019. They weren't because Dupree is a more complete player.

I won't dispute one thing. Fackrell is cheaper. I will just remind you that you often get what you pay for in life and the Steelers spent more money to keep a much better player.

Please don't suggest I don't know my stuff just because you and I disagree. I looked into Fackrell then and I've been hearing a lot about him now because I live in New York with in-laws who are Giants fans.

 

C’mon man he had 62 snaps. How are you supposed to show much? Should we say the same about every playeruntil they get a legitimate shot? How long did Dupree take to show something?

 

I know it’s what we do here but it’s all opinion and speculation at this point. What’s done is done. Time will tell how the story ends. The Steelers decided to roll the dice on a one year wonder over another one year wonder who had basically the same statistics as each other. The difference is Dupree is one of ours and a high investment. Not only that but Dupree’s lone breakout season came in his contract year. If Fackrell was looking for a contract after his big season it’s silly to think he wouldn’t of commanded a much bigger contract than he’s getting from the Giants. It’s about timing more often than not and his 4.5 mil is a reflection of a guy coming off a subpar season. That’s what prove it deals are. Like I said time will tell.....there’s no right and wrong at this point