Pittsburgh Steelers

Deadline to sign Bud Dupree to long-term deal passes

This much is certain: Bud Dupree will play for the Steelers in 2020.

His future in Pittsburgh beyond this season is anything but certain at this point.

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The Steelers and Dupree had until 4 p.m. Wednesday to come to terms on a long-term contract but, as expected, were unable to do so, meaning the outside linebacker will play the season under terms of the franchise tag he signed in April. The Steelers tagged Dupree in mid-March.

Under those terms, the allotted salary for outside linebackers is $15.82 million.

The Steelers are $5.74 million under the $198.2 million salary cap for the 2020 season. Placing the franchise tag on Dupree was one of the few options to keep him in-house for the season given the team’s tight cap situation, plus general manager Kevin Colbert, head coach Mike Tomlin and team president Art Rooney II said during the offseason that keeping Dupree was a priority. Colbert said in February at the NFL Combine that he wants Dupree to finish his career with the Steelers.

And why not?

A first-round draft pick in 2015 from the University of Kentucky, Dupree blossomed in his fifth season. He finished 2019 with 11.5 sacks (tied for ninth in the NFL), 16 tackles for loss (fifth), four forced fumbles (fifth), 17 quarterback hits and two fumble recoveries. His 68 tackles were a career-high as were his sacks, forced fumbles and tackles for loss.

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