Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, Devin Bush appeared to get benched for the team’s matchup against the Baltimore Ravens during Week 17. Instead of seeing Bush, we saw a bigger dose of rookie linebacker, Mark Robinson. This has left fans and the media wondering about the coaches' motivations.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 31: Devin Bush #55 of the Pittsburgh Steelers stands on the sidelines before a game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
But now, according to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, Steelers defensive coordinator, Teryl Austin, has told the media that we should expect to see Bush return this Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. In a tweet today, Kaboly reported that Austin had the following to say:
“I promise you, Devin [Bush] will see more playing time this week.”
Is Steelers' Devin Bush On His Way Out?
Austin went on to downplay to the media that the reason why Bush did not play many snaps (he only had 5 against Baltimore) was because they were using particular players to build a specific defense against the Ravens.
"That was pretty specific what we were doing last week in Baltimore and I would expect you probably will see Devin a little bit more this week."
However, it is not uncommon for the Steelers coaching staff to be close-lipped about what the real reasoning is. If you look at Bush’s statistics this season, he has been trending in the wrong direction.
During the Week 11 game against the Indianapolis Colts, Bush played 100% of the snaps. Each subsequent week, his percentage dropped - 87%, 84%, 54%, 40% and lastly 10%. Unsurprisingly, his tackle numbers also dropped.
The linebacker position is one that has been a bit banged up for the Steelers this season. It is difficult to blame anything but Bush’s game play. As far as has been reported, he is not hurt. He has not been listed on the injured reserve either.
Instead, the Steelers have been utilizing Robert Spillane. He went from playing about 50% of the team's snaps around Week 11 to playing 100% of the snaps in the last 3 games. The team has also been giving quite a few reps to Myles Jack, but Jack has been battling a groin injury.
What does it say about Bush that the Steelers would rather use an untested rookie in a fierce divisional game against a team that ran all over us the last time?
It seems to say that despite trying to give Bush time to fully recover from his ACL injury two years ago, the coaching staff no longer has faith in his abilities.
Bush signed a four-year, nearly $19 million contract that is up at the end of the season. The Steelers declined the fifth-year option on him before the start of the season.
He had an excellent rookie season, but has not been the same since he tore his ACL. While at times he has shown some flashes of brilliance, it doesn’t seem to have been enough to keep him here in Pittsburgh. While it is true that Bush has played better this season than last, it feels like that isn't saying much. He has 81 tackles so far this season, compared to 70 for all of last season, but in his rookie year, he had 109 total tackles.
At this point, it appears the Steelers are willing to evaluate other options so they can make an educated decision on who will be the starting linebackers of the future.
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 06: Mark Andrews #89 of the Baltimore Ravens tries to hurdle Devin Bush #55 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Heinz Field on October 6, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Why do you think the Steelers benched Bush last week? How do you think Robinson did in his place? Do you think we should keep or release Devin Bush? Make sure to click to comment below!
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