The season-ending injury to Bud Dupree is disruptive and unfortunate on several fronts, both to the Steelers and the outside linebacker himself.
But there's a small chance, albeit a very slim one, it might not mean the end of his Steelers career.
Dupree tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's 19-14 victory against the Baltimore Ravens on a non-contact play in which he was taking a wide rush to the quarterback.
Most significantly, the injury — the second ACL tear this season to a former No. 1 draft choice among the linebacker corps — robs the Steelers of the most feared and productive pass-rushing duo in the league.
But, for Dupree, who is a free agent after the season, it robs him of a chance to sign a lucrative multi-year contract worth at least $15 or $16 million annually with another team. And that's too bad for him.
Because of a reduced salary cap in 2021, the Steelers would not have been able to use the franchise tag again on Dupree. And, with outside partner T.J. Watt in line for one of the richest deals among edge rushers in the league, likely in the neighborhood of $20 million annually, Dupree was not going to get a multi-year contract from the Steelers. They could not begin to match what he would get on the free-agent market.
Because Dupree was injured at this point of the season, his availability for the 2021 season — certainly training camp and the preseason — will be greatly in question. That, of course, will significantly hurt his chances of another team making an offer to him in free agency, much less signing him to the type of deal he would otherwise command.
More than likely, Dupree will have to sign a one-year "prove it" contract with a team for significantly less money. Which could bring the Steelers back into play.
If another team fails to make some type of significant one-year offer to Dupree — say, nothing more than $5 million — it's possible the Steelers might consider taking a chance to bring him back for another season because the price would be more affordable.
The likelihood is slim — a one-year, prove-it deal could be worth up to $8-$9 million for Dupree — but it is a possibility nonetheless.
