One Former Steelers Teammate Put Big Bud Dupree On Blast: "What Are You Doing?"

Right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers are caught up in a giant game of telephone about the potential return on EDGE rusher, Bud Dupree. Remember playing the telephone game when you were a little kid? You'd sit in a circle and each person would whisper the message they were given to the person next to them until the message traveled around the circle. The result was rarely what was originally sent out. The talk about Dupree feels a little bit like that, it is hard to know exactly what is going on behind the scenes. 

Ever since it became apparent that Dupree wasn't going to return to the Tennessee Titans for 2023, Steelers fans have gone wild with speculation about him returning to the black and gold. 

Dupree was a first-round pick for the Steelers in 2015 and improved every year he was in Pittsburgh. He completed a formidable duo being lined up across from TJ Watt. During the 2019 season, he had a career-high 11 sacks. He was on track to do that again in 2020, with eight sacks in 11 games when he tore his ACL ending his season. 

Steelers fans were loathed to see him leave, but Dupree felt that he was entitled to be paid more. The Steelers were already paying Watt and had an up-and-coming young player in Alex Highsmith. Plus Dupree had been injured, there is no guarantee that he bounces back.

The Titans offered Dupree a contract too good to pass up, $82.5 million for five years. Unfortunately for both Dupree and the Titans, they were unable to get their money's worth. He suffered an abdominal injury in 2021 and a hip injury in 2022. His production dropped significantly - in 22 games in Tennessee, Dupree had seven sacks, 35 tackles, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.

Former Steelers Teammate Weighs In On Dupree's Visit to Pittsburgh    

Dupree posted a short video on social media of him crossing the bridge into Pittsburgh and the rumor mill kicked into high gear again as fans waited to hear if a deal was struck. 

Dupree's former teammate, Arthur Moats, and his co-host Deke, spoke on Moats' podcast, The Arthur Moats Experience, about Dupree visiting Pittsburgh. 

"He's here for a reason. I know which way you were driving, I could tell by the way that the water was going you were headed to the facility. So where are you going? What are you doing? I need an announcement, come on man!"

Moats said that the team is going to sell it as a "home team discount" hoping to get Dupree to return, but while fans love to romanticize that, it isn't that simple from a player perspective. He also believes that Pittsburgh is going to want to make doubly sure that Dupree is healthy. 

"I do think the medical does matter and I think that could be what they are looking at even more. I think part of it is the number too. We in the community (meaning fans) like to low ball, 'Oh take less, oh it's all good, this is the hometown discount.' It's easy to say hometown discount, but it's not your pocket. That's why you don't hear me holler about some hometown discount because I know what that feels like."

Deke retorts that he thinks it is a good investment for Dupree, he can come back to Pittsburgh on a kind of "prove it contract" and show the other NFL teams he isn't injured anymore. According to Moats that can backfire.    

"You signed and you sitting behind both of them dudes (Watt and Highsmith) and you don't get any snaps. Now you don't have a market next season. Or it just doesn't work out, you play bad, you get hurt, anything can happen. It's risky."

Gerry Dulac from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweeted that Dupree ultimately left the facility without a deal being reached. It sounds like the Steelers want to ensure that he is healthy enough to invest in, even as a backup. 

Moats says that is why it will come down to the number and as fans, we just have no idea what Dupree's personal number is. When you are talking about someone coming in to start behind two other excellent players, it is hard to imagine paying him more than $3-$5 million a year. Moats doesn't know that Dupree will risk his health or his ego for that. 

"Now you're talking about going down to 3 or 3.5 and you're not the full-time guy who gets to do what you want, I just don't know."

What do you make of the Dupree situation? Do you think the Steelers are exercising an abundance of caution regarding his health? Do you think that he will sign with the Steelers? How much of a financial risk should the Steelers invest in Dupree? Tell us what you think, click to comment below. 

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