Steely McBeam
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- Mar 20, 2019
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Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that linebacker Bud Dupree will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury at a Thursday press conference and spent some time talking about the guy who will be stepping into a larger role on defense.
Alex Highsmith was a third-round pick this season after recording 21 sacks and 47 tackles for loss during his time at Charlotte. He’s played 128 defensive snaps while holding down a regular role on special teams as a rookie. He’s been credited with 20 tackles, a sack, an interception, and three tackles for loss in those appearances.
Tomlin said “that’s life in this business” when discussing the need to replace Dupree at this point in the season and noted that the Steelers have had to do it with Robert Spillane after Devin Bush‘s injury. Tomlin said that he’s “just as comfortable” with Highsmith as he was with Spillane because of the work they’ve been putting in for “when we ring their bell.”
“And we are ringing Alex Highsmith’s bell now,” Tomlin said.
Tomlin also said that he does not think T.J. Watt is going to suffer because Dupree is out of action, but he’ll certainly be getting a little more attention. If Highsmith can make teams pay for that, the Steelers should be in good shape defensively.