The Curious Case of OLB Bud Dupree

[jebrick]

The more i watch Dupree the more I think he would be a better 4-3 DE in a 9 tech.  THat is where he should be lining up to rush the passer.  But he has proven to be good in coverage and  ok vs the run.

[Steeler Hitman]

19 hours ago, jebrick said:

The more I watch Dupree the more I think he would be a better 4-3 DE in a 9 tech.  That is where he should be lining up to rush the passer.  But he has proven to be good in coverage and  ok vs the run.

I agree. His body/size, technique and current results have shown this to be true more often than not (success as a 4-3 DE using wide 9 rush tech).  Because he is a freakish athlete, he can drop fairly well as a OLB.  However, with the amount of Nickel they play, he should probably have more success (sacks) than he has archived.   I remember when J-Peezy was the teams best pass rusher and they would employ him in the middle of the dime defense as a drop/cover ILB. 

Versatility in the Steelers defense often hurts players like Bud and has contributed to stymieing the development Sean Davis as well.

Sometimes the ABC is better than E=MC2 approach to defense.

[3rivers]

8 hours ago, Steeler Hitman said:

I agree. His body/size, technique and current results have shown this to be true more often than not (success as a 4-3 DE using wide 9 rush tech).  Because he is a freakish athlete, he can drop fairly well as a OLB.  However, with the amount of Nickel they play, he should probably have more success (sacks) than he has archived.   I remember when J-Peezy was the teams best pass rusher and they would employ him in the middle of the dime defense as a drop/cover ILB. 

Versatility in the Steelers defense often hurts players like Bud and has contributed to stymieing the development Sean Davis as well.

Sometimes the ABC is better than E=MC2 approach to defense.

dupree should have better stats, looks at Watt as a rookie - he was much better.  Dupree might be the athlete, but watt has the football instincts and acumen .  LeBeau  did the same thing with Lloyd as he did the Peezy. It might have worked, but Lebeau also used to drop Harrison as well as Woodley in the dime when he should have just let them rush.  I hope to never see that again from the steelers. 

[Steeler Hitman]

13 hours ago, 3rivers said:

Dupree should have better stats, looks at Watt as a rookie - he was much better.  Dupree might be the athlete, but Watt has the football instincts and acumen .  LeBeau  did the same thing with Lloyd as he did the Peezy. It might have worked, but Lebeau also used to drop Harrison as well as Woodley in the dime when he should have just let them rush.  I hope to never see that again from the Steelers. 

I agree 100% with everything that you said.

[3rivers]

this thread might need to be fired up again. Dupree has been stepping up, but will he continue to get better? I am thinking so, and have the plate of crow here just in case. He made a GREAT play in the colts game, a few actually, the chase and then the S/FF/FR, the trifecta .  He's a reason the defence has been good to, along with others. The pressure the front gets is really helping the rest of the defence out.  On pace for 58 sacks and 42 TO's, this defence is making improvements over previous seasons. 

Whit will be a test this week, but will the rams have the RB help out like the colts did? With Dupree getting that kind of attention, the opposition are respecting him with he extra blocker, and this win turn helps free up others and it's one less player top defend against. 

If the lights are finally going on, this could really be a nice final 8 weeks for the defence accumulating stats vs much lesser competition than the first 8 weeks. I am expecting 60+ sacks and 45+ TO's, thanks to the pressure and of course Minkah What a difference a legit centre fielder makes at FS. 

This front really pushed around the respectable colts OL last week. Heyward really made Q have a bad game, I was shocked at how that went actually. 

Edited November 6, 2019 by 3rivers

[3rivers]

On 2019-05-17 at 8:14 AM, Steeler Hitman said:

I agree 100% with everything that you said.

butler runs a more basic defence, occasional blitzes, but he rarely opts for the 3 man rush that drops the OLBs into coverage thankfully. He has been letting the 4 on the DL attack the OL and QB, and the pressure has been really good as of late. Too bad Tuitt isn't out there too, but whoever is in there is getting it done

They have Olsavsky as the ILB's coach, but I don't see an OLB coach. They let porter go and never replaced him with anyone ?

Edited November 6, 2019 by 3rivers

[jebrick]

Butler is the OLB coach

[3rivers]

Dupree got a few close pressures today. I am interested in seeing him vs robinson for the browns. Dupree should have a great game next week, there is quite a drop off from Whit to robinson

[43M]

7 minutes ago, 3rivers said:

Dupree got a few close pressures today. I am interested in seeing him vs robinson for the browns. Dupree should have a great game next week, there is quite a drop off from Whit to robinson

Dupree playing well.  Perfect compliment to TJ right now.  Butler taking over LB coach duties from Porter had made a notable difference IMO.

But, he is probably gone after this year.  He is pricing himself out of our range.  And Im still not convinced this isnt contract year-itis.   

[3rivers]

Just now, FourThreeMafia said:

Dupree playing well.  Perfect compliment to TJ right now.  Butler taking over LB coach duties from Porter had made a notable difference IMO.

But, he is probably gone after this year.  He is pricing himself out of our range.  And Im still not convinced this isnt contract year-itis.   

too bad he wasted away here with porter as a coach though, but thats the nfl with some teams. It will be interesting to see how the FO approaches this. They will eventually need $ for Watt, JJSS, Connor and of course :

MINKAH

[August4th]

sucks we don't really know what we have behind Bud. I really hate bens contract right now

[43M]

Just now, 3rivers said:

too bad he wasted away here with porter as a coach though, but thats the nfl with some teams. It will be interesting to see how the FO approaches this. They will eventually need $ for Watt, JJSS, Connor and of course :

MINKAH

Watt and Minkah are the top priorities. 

Juju...as much as I love the guy, I wonder if he will push for number 1 WR money?  Im not convinced he is that.  However...still very young.

Connor I wouldnt pay much.  Like him too, but he is replacable, as most RBs are.

[3rivers]

1 minute ago, FourThreeMafia said:

Watt and Minkah are the top priorities. 

Juju...as much as I love the guy, I wonder if he will push for number 1 WR money?  Im not convinced he is that.  However...still very young.

Connor I wouldnt pay much.  Like him too, but he is replacable, as most RBs are.

Agree

1. Watt

2. Minkah (or is it the other way around)

JJSS and Connor aren't at the same priority. I might have Dupree at similar priority as JJSS if the price is decent.  Some are saying he will get what the smiths got in GB, that might be tolerable if he gets better . I like this 4 DL getting all the pressure , it's a much better defence for me to watch anyways. I was tired of the zone blitse getting trashed by legit QB's . This unit has a chance IMO vs the better teams. They got tired a bit today, but much of that is the offence not owning TOP, which is something they need to get going. 

Sign Dupree this year, then after next year Watt. Too bad they don't have $ for AJ Green, that would really be worth a try.

[3rivers]

11 minutes ago, August4th said:

sucks we don't really know what we have behind Bud. I really hate bens contract right now

I don't like how they gave ben a deal like that after all the complaining he has done in recent years and his play wasn't good either. I am tired of him, I would rather roll with this type of team but get rid of fichner or at least try to correct him.  This team needs TOP to help mason and give the defence a rest. 

Chickillo isn't the answer, they should play Ola as much as they can to see what he can do. I still think they should cut chickillo and sign skipper but they won't. 

[August4th]

3 minutes ago, 3rivers said:

I don't like how they gave ben a deal like that after all the complaining he has done in recent years and his play wasn't good either. I am tired of him, I would rather roll with this type of team but get rid of fichner or at least try to correct him.  This team needs TOP to help mason and give the defence a rest. 

Chickillo isn't the answer, they should play Ola as much as they can to see what he can do. I still think they should cut chickillo and sign skipper but they won't. 

I'd still like Ben to be the QB, but not at that price and not with a offense that passes 45 times a game like last yr.

the way this defense is going we don't need a 30-35 mil a yr QB who has 600 pass attempts in a season to win.

we can win with a QB manager type that's worth half that. I hope Colbert sits down with Ben and tries to convince him to take a big paycut, but its not happening. we'll be paying Ben like he's Aaron Rodgers or Russel wilson level type QB when we don't need one and Ben isn't on that level anymore anyway. His contract is like a  anchor on a ship when we're  thinking about offseason moves