Steelers Seem to Have a Plan in Motion For Bud Dupree
PITTSBURGH -- Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert took the stand at the NFL Combine to talk about multiple aspects of the team's offseason. One that stood out - Bud Dupree's future and the approach Pittsburgh expects to take to retain him.
Dupree heads into his first offseason as an unrestricted free agent and as the franchise tag period opened today, Feb. 27, the Steelers shot clock started ticking.
"We want Bud Dupree to finish his career as a Pittsburgh Steeler," has rang through the ears of Steelers fans since Colbert said it on Tuesday.
But how?
Well, Colbert may have gave out the plan behind keeping the edge rusher without saying "this is how we're going to do it."
It starts at the Combine. Colbert and the Steelers scouting staff won't make a decision on Dupree before seeing everyone they're looking to recruit over the next four days.
"There is so much business that is in the air," he said. "We’re going to see 330-plus players here in more detail than we’ve known from before. We’ll know a lot about the draft. We’ll learn a lot about free agency. Some players are getting off the market as we speak. That all changes, and this thing is fluid right up until the end."
From there, Colbert plans to evaluate the open market. Dupree's worth sky-rocketed after his 11.5 sack, 16 tackles for loss season. A contract year as good as any, the fifth-year player finally made a name for himself in this league and the rest of the NFL certainly noticed.
"Bud created a great decision for us because he had a great season," Colbert said. "That’s exciting. Where we go with that, who knows? He’s getting a feel for what a market may be. We’re getting a feel for where a market may be. We’re getting a feel for what our (salary) cap might be."
As for the franchise tag, Colbert didn't wave it off. Instead, he said he'd like to have the option on the table, right before highlighting that if it does happen, he still wants Dupree to be in Pittsburgh long-term.
“We don’t know, but we would love to have that option available to us," Colbert replied on the use of the tag.
So, from franchise tag to getting a long-term deal done, the Steelers seem to know how they'd like to approach the next week. Dupree's chance of signing something more than a tag tender aren't strong this offseason due to financial restrictions on Pittsburgh's end. Still, the one-year deal that comes with the tag gives the edge rusher roughly $15 million this season.
The Steelers don't plan to make anything happen until Monday. Yet, with the 49th pick being their first, the risk of finding someone as talented - an developed - as Dupree isn't worth adding another hole to the defense.
Colbert knows this.
"Every time we do this, it keeps coming out strong," Colbert said. "It may come out stronger after the combine, but it may come out a little less. But it doesn’t change our thinking on Bud Dupree."
