The Pittsburgh Steelers made the move earlier this off-season to decline linebacker Devin Bush's fifth-year option. The Steelers have seemingly put the ball in Bush's court to decide his future with the Black and Gold, as well as his NFL future. The Steelers moved up 10 spots in the 2019 NFL Draft to select Bush at 10th overall, so the expectations have been extremely high for the former Michigan standout. With his fifth-year option declined, Bush is set to be an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming 2022 season comes to a close. This is the definition of a "Make or Break" year for the Steelers linebacker!
Monday, former Steelers LB Vince Williams sat down with another former Steelers LB Arthur Moats on the Arthur Moats Experience with Deke, to discuss many, many topics. Moats asked Williams about his former running mate at the inside linebacker position.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, Devin Bush (#55) participates in the organized team activities (OTA’s), Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. | Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers
Moats asked Williams to talk about his experience working with Bush and becoming the "veteran mentor" when the Steelers drafted Bush.
"I already knew we were going to get a Devin. We had to fill that role. People don't understand because we have such high caliber outside linebackers, that it's essential to have two good middle linebackers in the Steelers defense, they run the show.""But you have to have really two solid middle linebackers to run the Pittsburgh defense. It doesn't function without those guys. So I knew eventually. We kept trying to do stop gapping. We had [Jon] Bostic coming there. We tried to do with Morgan Burnett, Mark Barron. But you got to have guys that have a natural chemistry with each other to be able to pull off that. And I think, once again, me and Devin just kind of had that natural chemistry. We kind of believed that football should be played the same type of way. We seen the game the same way. We understood the game the same way."
Oct 13, 2019; Carson, CA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Devin Bush (55) celebrates a first quarter interception with teammates during the first quarter as Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (right, background) reacts at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
It's no coincidence that Bush's best season, his rookie campaign, in which he tallied 109 combined tackles (72 of those solo tackles), 2 interceptions, 9 tackles for loss, 1 touchdown, 1 forced fumble, 2 QB hits, and 4 fumble recoveries, came with having a competent running mate like Williams. There seems to be a lot of truth to what Williams said about the Steelers needing two very good inside guys with natural chemistry. The Steelers may have done that this off-season with giving Bush a phenomenal running mate in Myles Jack.
Moats later asked Williams, "If you were the Pittsburgh Steelers, would you have picked up his fifth-year option?"
"No." Williams said very matter-of-factly."Because Devin didn't earn his fifth-year option, you know what I mean? You got to just look at it and call it what it is. I'm not delusional by any stretch of imagination. But also that could be a plus and a minus. I texted him right after they did it, and I was like, 'Well, go out there and get $15 million next year.' Instead of making the $10 [million] you would have made, you took the cap off, go out there, go Pro Bowl, and then be like, 'Hey, now the rabbit has the gun.'"
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Williams continues on to say Bush should be motivated by the Steelers declining the fifth-year option on his contract:
"I always think it's better to bet on black anyway, you know what I mean? Put the ball in my court. I'm going to Kobe this [thing], and you're going to be looking like, 'Dang, why did we give him the ball? He's never going to give it back, it's over. I think he's capable, it just depends on if he wants to do it or not."
Check out the full clip below!
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