Titans’ GM Ran Carthon on LB Bud Dupree: ‘Bud Is on Our Team, and We’re Going To Continue to Evaluate Him'
NASHVILLE- As the Tennessee Titans continue to go over their roster and look to clear more cap space, linebacker Bud Dupree whose future with the team, will be evaluated.
Titans' general manager Ran Carthon spoke on the questions surrounding Dupree's future with the team on Tuesday during the NFL Combine.
"Bud is a guy that I don't have any experience with," Carthon said. "Obviously, he was signed here under the previous regime, and so Bud is another guy on the team that I need to get to know."
While that certainly may beg the question of whether Dupree will be with the Titans in 2023, Carthon said he'll go through the evaluation process normally, just as he would with any other player.
"I understand the question, and I know everybody wants to know about his future, but Bud is on our team, and Bud is a guy we're going to continue to evaluate," Carthon said.
Dupree signed a five-year, $82.5 million deal during the 2021 offseason but has struggled to stay healthy and has missed 22 of a possible 34 games over the previous two seasons while only recording a total of seven sacks in that same span.
To put that into perspective, Dupree recorded eight sacks during his final season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020, prior to tearing his ACL late in that season.
Undoubtedly, the Titans will have to make a decision on the pass rushers' future. Cutting Dupree would carry a $10 million dead cap hit but save Tennessee $9 million. Should they choose to release him after June 1, Tennessee would save $17 million with only a $4 million dead cap hit.
Even if the Titans plan to release Dupree, they must wait until the new league year begins on March 15.
For now, no one truly knows what Carthon's decision will be on Dupree. While the Titans will likely look to clear more cap space, and cutting Dupree makes sense to some, they may decide to keep the talented pass rusher for the 2023 season, despite his injury struggles and inconsistent production on the field.
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