Steely McBeam
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- Mar 20, 2019
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The Steelers made sure linebacker Bud Dupree would return for the 2020 season by using the franchise tag this offseason, but they didn’t sign him to a long-term deal and that leaves things uncertain for the future.
Dupree entered last season with similar uncertainty and turned in his most productive NFL season. Dupree had 11.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and 17 quarterback hits last season, all of which were career bests for the 2015 first-round pick.
A repeat of that kind of play would leave Dupree well positioned for anything that could happen in the offseason and he said on Monday that he enjoys being in that spot.
“It’s bittersweet, but it’s also a blessing to be able to get to this point of my career and still be here, be in this position I am today,” Dupree said, via Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I’m in the driver’s seat of my career right now. I’ll go out and play the best I can play and everything will be in place at the end of the year. I’ll be able to control my own destiny.”
Dupree helped the Steelers lead the league in sacks despite rarely playing with a lead over the course of last season. Ben Roethlisberger‘s return provides reason to think that will change this season and Dupree thinks that could “be something special” for the defense this fall.