Should Steelers Look at Extension for Bud Dupree?

When the Pittsburgh Steelers picked up the fifth-year option of defensive end Bud Dupree, some fans were surprised, and even disappointed at the idea of investing $9.23 million into a player with a career-high of six sacks in a single season.

However, the Steelers did not stress the decision and did not budge in their stance that it was a no-brainer to keep the former first-round pick for his fifth NFL season. Team president Art Rooney II was quick to give him a vote of confidence heading into the offseason.

“Bud had some good games and some other games that were probably not what you would want,” Rooney noted in his end-of-season review. “But I think there was some progress this year, so we’re looking for some progress from him again next year.”

The fact of the matter is that the NFL is starving for pass rushers, and there just are not many people in this world who stand around 6-foot-3 to 6-foot-5, weigh between 255 and 270 pounds, and have the speed, strength, and athleticism to get off of the football, bend the edge and win hand fights with offensive lineman.

Dupree has not been great, but you do not have to be a great pass rusher to get paid in the NFL. Dupree suffered a hernia in the 2016 offseason, a shoulder injury in the 2017 offseason, and switched sides in the 2018 offseason. Entering 2019, there is a reason for the Steelers and Dupree to feel the best season is yet to come.

With that in mind, would the Steelers be smart to bet on Dupree before the season and extend him at a cheaper price before a strong season? What should Dupree look forward to when he enters the free agent market, and what kind of offer would the Steelers offer Dupree before the start of the season?

MOST COMPARABLE PLAYERS

When looking at this most recent offseason, some notable names come into mind. Five players that Dupree will look most specifically to are Jadeveon Clowney, Dee Ford, Nick Perry, Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith.

Dupree knows Za’Darius quite well, they were teammates at Kentucky. Dupree was more productive and athletic in college, which caused him to go higher while Smith dropped to round four. However, without the fifth-year option of a first-round pick, Smith hit free agency a year earlier. He signed a deal this past offseason with the Packers, as did Preston Smtih, who was a second-round pick in the same draft as Dupree.

These two will be great comparison points as they came from the same draft class, but Dupree also will carry the upside and athletic background of a first round pick. Dee Ford was the 23rd pick in the first round, while Dupree went 22nd the following year. Clowney went first overall, but when looking at the athletic upside, and injury questions on both sides, Dupree can be compared to Clowney. Perry was the 28th pick in the first round and was drafted in 2012, but can be a good athletic comparison as well.

The Smith’s come from Dupree’s draft class, while Clowney and Ford are former first rounders a year prior. All four saw contract activity just last year while Perry gives us a more historical comparison to go off of.

STATISTICAL COMPARISONS

When looking into these five players in comparison to Dupree, the $9.23 million fifth-year option seems more and more understandable. These statistical comparisons looked specifically at the first four seasons of their careers. What is interesting to note is that Ford and Clowney had their best season on their fifth-year option. This was not included, as Dupree has not had a chance to match.

Preston Smith has been the healthiest, and therefore the most successful of the group through four seasons. The group gets even closer when looking at the start to their careers on a game by game basis.