Things didn't end well for linebacker, Devin Bush with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was a tumultous four-year tenure for the two sides, which ended in the 2023 offseason as he entered free agency. It was clear that he needed a fresh start somewhere, and with his fifth-year option declined, it was a lock that he wouldn't return to Pittsburgh. It was quite the fall from where things started off in his professional career.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Unfortunately, 2019 first-rounder Devin Bush ended up being a bust at linebacker for the Steelers, as he was seemingly never able to fully return from a torn ACL.
Kevin Colbert and the front office traded up in the 2019 NFL Draft to pick Bush 10th overall. The Steelers gave up the 20th and 52nd overall picks in that draft, in addition to a 2020 third-rounder for the linebacker out of Michigan. He was supposed to be the perfect replacement for Ryan Shazier, whose career ended abruptly after his scary injury against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017. Things started off well, as Bush was one of the best rookies in the 2019 season.
Where Would Steelers' Shazier Have Ranked Amongst Best Linebackers?
Bush finished third in AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting that year, as he racked up two interceptions, four fumbles recoveries and 109 total tackles across 15 starts. Well, a torn ACL in his second year really turned things around. Even upon his full recovery, it was clear that he wasn't quite confident in his knee on the field. That led to a steady decline in his play and his exit from Pittsburgh in 2023. He landed with the Seattle Seahawks on a one-year prove-it deal.
Unfortunately for him, Bobby Wagner returned to the NFC West squad shortly after on a one-year, $7 million deal. Wagner, who spent one year with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, has eight Pro Bowl seasons with the Seahawks. Well, we are a day away from 53-man roster cuts, and it seems like Bush could already be on his way out of Seattle. Just a few months after the team signed him? Yep, at least Gregg Bell of The News Tribune thinks so.
"If Bush’s contract he signed as a free agent this spring didn’t guarantee he gets $2.99 million from the Seahawks this season, he could be cut. They may be trying to trade him now that [Jordyn] Brooks is back from his torn ACL to start with [Bobby] Wagner. Bush playing the first three quarters and getting a concussion covering a punt in the final preseason game, when all other veteran regulars were in sweatpants on the sidelines, was a signal he’s lost value. His concussion complicates trying to trade him. If he stays, they are paying a lot for what appears to be a part-time linebacker and special-teams player."
This would be a rough start to his post-Pittsburgh career. He might have a rough time finding a new place to play if the Seahawks decide he is not in their 2023 plans at linebacker.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Linebackers Devin Bush and Robert Spillane are two of the guys from the 2022 room that left the Steelers this offseason.
His tenure in Seattle could be coming to an end that quickly. Of course, he didn't exactly leave Pittsburgh in the best way. Shortly after his signing with the Seahawks, Bush proceeded to trash his former team's organization as a whole, along with Mike Tomlin. While there was major concern for the Steelers linebacker unit a few months ago, it looks like that group will be better in 2023.
It's a totally revamped group, as only Mark Robinson returns from the 2022 unit. Instead, guys like Kwon Alexander and Cole Holcomb should help for massive improvements. The grass isn't always greener on the other side, and it seems like Bush may already be learning that. Regardless, we will find out in the next few days on his status for the 2023 season, but it seems like he would have zero trade value at this point.
What are your thoughts on Bush possibly being cut in Seattle already? Where does he rank amongst biggest busts in Steelers history? Would he have become a great linebacker if it weren't for that torn ACL in 2020? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
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