T.J. Watt has “all of the confidence in the world” in Bud Dupree replacements

[Steely McBeam]

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Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt was named the AFC’s defensive player of the month for November and he’ll be even more important to the team in December.

Watt’s partner off the edge Bud Dupree will not play again this season after tearing his ACL in last Wednesday’s win over the Ravens. Watt called the injury “very deflating” before moving on to say that he has faith in the team’s ability to keep moving forward with Dupree’s backups.

“You have to know it’s the next man up mentality,” Watt said, via the team’s website. “You have guys like Alex Highsmith who is preparing like he has been a starter this whole time. We have to trust that the coaches are going to put him in the best position, us in the best position, to keep going forward. I have all of the confidence in the world in the guys in this locker room that we are going to be all right.”

Ola Adeniyi is also expected to see some time with Dupree out of action and Watt expressed the same confidence that he’ll be able to handle what the team will be asking of him in the coming weeks.