The Curious Case of OLB Bud Dupree

[August4th]

I hope they figure out a way to keep Bud and focus on turning the offense into a power-run team somehow

[3rivers]

3 minutes ago, August4th said:

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

but thats what having ben here is, 45+ passes a game, at that price and with him controlling the team. H will probably whine for an elite WR, so forget about Watt if he is still here. I want him gone, it's over with for me anyways, time to move on and have a legit defence and hopefully running game but the jury is out on that. With this defence, we could win, well with Mason and Duck, so what do they get paid? The WR's have to stop the drops and the running game needs to return. The defence is THAT good, they are winning games because of pouncey's snaps and the offence lacking at times. The safety for example - how do they not double block Donald on that play? 

Bens contract? There is $25M dead cap next year and thats not going anywhere. I can't see ben changing his mind or taking a serious payout. He hasn't made enough and likes control and being overpaid.  Just trade him to arians, and save the $8M, thats the best they could do. If they get a RD1 for him, thats good but I doubt arians would give up a 1 but they were really close so lets hope that factors into all this.

Imagine if Dupree spends another offseason with Heyward and their coach and how it will be next year with Tuitt back? This front could be elite, everyone near their prime. Too bad Hargrave will be gone, he really collapses the interior when allowed to rush. Too bad he wasted away here as well, but that's not porters fault . If they never signed ben , they would have $30M right there and then maybe another $8M if they traded pouncey. $38M, that could set the team up really good and with no losses compared to what's here now.  The core is good enough, now they need to keep a few key top level players, and ben and pouncey aren't the players I am talking about.  

[3rivers]

13 minutes ago, August4th said:

I hope they figure out a way to keep Bud and focus on turning the offense into a power-run team somehow

me too, but it won't happen with ben here. The key is that fichner starts calling better plays and let this team win, instead of holding it back. If they win without ben, it will show up colbert and the rooneys, and that might be enough to move on and decide to spend elsewhere (Dupree, Watt, JJSS, and of course Minkah). I would be making sure they have the $ ready for Watt and Minkah, that should  already be top priority. 

How about some props to butler? He has been criticized often here, but now with some talent, he has this defence playing solid. He still doesn't quite have the talent Lebeau had but it's getting close , and I think he results are getting better in key areas (sacks and TO's) and thats without help from the offence. 

[Displayname]

28 minutes ago, 3rivers said:

me too, but it won't happen with ben here. The key is that fichner starts calling better plays and let this team win, instead of holding it back. If they win without ben, it will show up colbert and the rooneys, and that might be enough to move on and decide to spend elsewhere (Dupree, Watt, JJSS, and of course Minkah). I would be making sure they have the $ ready for Watt and Minkah, that should  already be top priority. 

How about some props to butler? He has been criticized often here, but now with some talent, he has this defence playing solid. He still doesn't quite have the talent Lebeau had but it's getting close , and I think he results are getting better in key areas (sacks and TO's) and thats without help from the offence. 

The talent has been there. Seems like the defense as a whole is better with the football I.Q side of stuff

[3rivers]

11 minutes ago, Displayname said:

The talent has been there. Seems like the defense as a whole is better with the football I.Q side of stuff

the pressure from 4 makes a major improvement and then add Minkah and Bush, but lets not stop there. Nelson and Sutton also are major improvements over what was here. The defence improvements are the main reason I am still watching, talent is much better and Butler deserves credit now as well.  They finally removed artie burns from the defence and all the communication breakdowns magically stopped it seemed.

Now if the offence can help them a bit and get the running game going and own TOP 

[mwalker]

6 hours ago, 3rivers said:

the pressure from 4 makes a major improvement and then add Minkah and Bush, but lets not stop there. Nelson and Sutton also are major improvements over what was here. The defence improvements are the main reason I am still watching, talent is much better and Butler deserves credit now as well.  They finally removed artie burns from the defence and all the communication breakdowns magically stopped it seemed.

Now if the offence can help them a bit and get the running game going and own TOP 

I know we have a number of issues (on O) and this isn't a huge one, but does anyone else believe our backs
are all too similar? I think we lack speed. Sans A.Brown our receivers have trouble separating, but
Conner, Samuels and Snell - all good players - just lack that dynamism. Just me?

[MOSteelers56]

4 hours ago, mwalker said:

I know we have a number of issues (on O) and this isn't a huge one, but does anyone else believe our backs
are all too similar? I think we lack speed. Sans A.Brown our receivers have trouble separating, but
Conner, Samuels and Snell - all good players - just lack that dynamism. Just me?

I think Johnson has really good separation skills. Unfortunately he doesn't have the best hands in the world. Washington's jump ball skills and hands make him open even when he's not. I think our WRs would be shining a bit brighter with Ben. Rudolph just hesitates a little too much, but he should get better about that.  

[3rivers]

11 hours ago, mwalker said:

but does anyone else believe our backs
are all too similar?

if the OL blocks well enough, it would be an asset . Imagine 3 Connors or 3 Bells  Buses etc, it's the OL all the way. Variety might be a problem with some defences, but at the end of a game, the win will be more on the OL that a change of pace unless the homer threat did take one for a TD and that changed the defence quite a bit.  Lawfirm is quite different, a real quick speedy RB that could be good if the OL would give him some lanes. I hope they keep him around and let him have a chance, let Connor and Snell heal