Make The Case: KEEP DUPREE

[TwoForTheMoney]

I will be representing the opposing side. And you will need to make an argument as to why you'd sign Jason Worilds 2.0 to a big money deal. You can make the argument to RESIGN or TAG. My argument is to let him walk entirely.

 

Normally, these are difficult. On the fence. Has he made enough incremental improvement in his four short seasons to validate such a figure. Remember when the Steelers gambled on Antonio Brown and gave him his 5 years, $42.5m deal, despite having some 100+ catches combined in his first three seasons. That was a gamble. But you could see it. The trajectory was on the right path. Dupree's situation is much akin to that of Jason Worilds. Pedestrian. Middling. Lowly sack figures in the 5-6 sacks avg per season. Worilds slowly developed into a notch above a Carlos Emmons in the hierarchy of where a Steelers OLB needs to be. Emmons is your 3 sacks per season guy. You send these guys to the Eagles and the like.

 

Argument #1 - NOT ENOUGH PRESSURE

 

Not too long ago I saw an article from Still Curtain commenting on Bud Dupree's lack of pressure compared to the league. Here are a few tidbits I plucked from the article:

 

1) He made more impactful plays but generated pressure on a per play basis that failed to crack the 50th percentile. He was average winning rep-to-rep with a win pct of 13.1%, which ranked 50th in the league. 

2) Dupree had a poor pressure rate and was still average. According to PFF, Dupree has ranked 83rd, 44th, 51st, and 63rd in pressure rates over his first 4 seasons.

3) Dupree played in 980 snaps this season, which was more than TJ Watt. Robert Quinn had 11.5 sacks, just like Dupree, but did so in 647 defensive snaps.

 

Analysis: Pressure rates have remained stagnant over the four year period, which means he is the same exact player that you had doubts about before the season.  

 

Really the art of discerning quality pass rushers is qualitative. You just know it. You see it. He gets there. I'm not a sack guy by any means. That's a team stat. Because the team covered everyone in the same 2.50-3.00 seconds that were required to beat your man. We were all on the same page. This cumulative effort led to a splash play for the defense. An individual stat is pressures. As you saw, Bud Dupree ranks in the 50th percentile in creating pressures. I believe in pressures and knockdowns and being a nuisance. Live in his head when you're not even there. Just a pure pest. That is out to destroy this game. It is far more beneficial to create pressure, because it's better to have the QB make mistakes, because that's what wins the game. Sacks just make it harder for him to win. Dupree is only getting there basically at the same rate as an average NFL pass rusher. He was in the 50th percentile, which means he is actually below average. That backs up what I see qualitatively. When I watch Dupree, I just see someone with no plan of a pass rush being completely neutralized roughly the entire game. He jumps off the ball and hits a brick wall. This is backed up by the he beats his man stat roughly 1/7 times, which ranks 50th in the league. Quite frankly, pass rush is an art form and Dupree's gameplan is to outbrute a bigger brute. That's a problem. His pressures are too few and far between. Looking at Robert Quinn. And touching on the opportunities stat. Dupree played in roughly 50% more snaps than Robert Quinn. Therefore, if Bud Dupree is in the 50th percentile in pressures, Robert Quinn is in the 75th percentile on a per play basis. And Quinn is 50% more productive on a per play basis than Dupree. If Bud Dupree is in line with $16m per year, than Robert Quinn is in line with some $20m ($24m) per season. Do you see how Bud Dupree is overpriced???

 

Argument #2 - OUTLIER SACK TOTALS

 

Pressure rates remained stagnant over a four year period. What is the reason for the spike in sack total? 

 

1) Steven Nelson has been a Steelers CB since day one. And this signing has resulted in no more picking on Willie Gay (or insert boundary corner here). Off coverage. Pitch and catch. Occasionally, Willie'd rack one. More often that not, it was a slow death. No more Artie Burns torchings from an inability to recognize the concepts of a zone defense. The signing of Steven Nelson has resulted in the team being more capable back to front. This has resulted in guys being covered longer, and the guys up front have more time to get there. Watt also had a career year. But I attribute that to TJ Watt has gotten more swole and is consistently beating his man more on a per play basis. No stat to confirm. Except for the proof in the pudding. 

 

2) The Minkah Fitzpatrick trade changed the scheme of the defense. He plays in the middle. His ability allowed this change. No more wasting Terrell Edmunds covering the outside hash. He did an outstanding job. The hash didn't catch a pass all game. No longer are the days of sitting back with two deep. Praise God. With the team speed on defense, now putting Edmunds more so in the box (deeper lying dime LB) and with his 4.47 speed, space has been eliminated. Or at least truncated. This changes everything. The windows are tighter. Minkah INT vs 49ers. Tighter windows. Pressure. Turnover. That's the game. Make them make mistakes. Now we're forcing pressure from the back-end. From an increase in talent, speed, and scheme. This pressure from the secondary would not be realized if you didn't have a pass rush up front.

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: Javon Hargrave. Bud Dupree had 3 sacks in 6 games with Tuitt, who was a monster. Of which, Minkah played in four games. Resulting in the same 0.5 sacks per game. When Javon Hargrave played in the final 10 games, Dupree recorded 8.5 sacks. One can conclude with someone as average a pass rusher as Dupree, as previously proven with his 50th percentile pressure rate, that Javon Hargrave is a better interior pass rusher for the Steelers than Stephon Tuitt. 

 

3) Devin Bush. The addition of Devin Bush also changed the defense by giving us a defensive playmaker at the second level. His playmaking skills are that on par with Troy and Shazier. He truncates the field with his speed and has reduced the ability of teams to capitalize on their gimmicky nature that has plagued us over the past few years. He can run sideline to sideline so that little swing pass is eaten up quickly. He provides help in man (DB speed in a LB) and graded at some 90 in PFF in man but only 50 in zone concepts. This helps on backs out of the backfield. TEs. WRs. And the like. 

 

Argument #3 - YOU CAN'T PAY EVERYONE

 

So, when it comes a point in time to determine if someone is worth what they make (CORS) he's not worth the $16m with a tag or an extension. You can't afford the luxury of tagging him for one more year. You know what he is. He is the same player as he entered the league. He gets there the same as he did his rookie season. Only once did we get two new starters in the secondary did he finally crack ten sacks in a season. And you can't jeopardize the future of the nucleus of this young defense. The nucleus of this defense is TJ Watt, Devin Bush, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. And you must add to it. Defense travels in January. These guys will all be paid top 5 at their respective positions. You can't make a bad deal here, and then it costs you someone down the road. TJ Watt is a $100m player. How many years you get for that $100m will depend on how soon you pay him. You can sign players after their 3rd year. We really hold all the leverage here on Watt. 4th year with a weak 5th year option. I'd do right by him. And pay him sooner rather than later. 

 

 

Argument #4 - AVAILABILITY OF SUBSTITUTES

 

Yannick Ngakeoue

Dante Fowler

Robert Quinn

Vic Beasley 

Yetur Gross-Matos (HOF)

Alex Highsmith

 

The point here is Bud Dupree is not the fuel that makes that engine run on defense. It's pretty much a collective effort of quality players across the board. You can't throw a Nick Vannett pulse out there bc then they'll account for Watt. You need to take this position seriously, because it's the most important position to this team. They must get pressure from both OLBs. And Dupree doesn't get enough pressure. Let alone enough pressure at that enormous cap figure. His stats rose when the talent on the back-end improved. He's a fancy, shiny, engine with not too much horsepower. 

 

 

 

 

 

[jebrick]

If it were only about sacks then yes.  Who are you going to replace Dupree with?  Who is covering the flat?  do you think that Ngakeoue will be cheaper?  Do you think Fowler will be cheaper? Do you think a 4th+ round rookie can step in?  Has Quinn or Fowler or Ngakeoue ever played OLB?  Have they covered in the flat.  You are talking about letting go a player that played 90% of the defensive snaps.  More than Watt.  More than Heyward.  Way more than Hargrave.

 

You offer nothing except caution in paying him a lot.  If no CBA is signed then it is best for the Steelers to tag him.  If they do sign the CBA before March then I expect Dupree will get a decent deal that will be cap friendly to the Steelers in the 2020 season.  If he is let go then the defense is worst because you are not signing some big named FA

[Chieferific]

You've based your whole argument on Sacks and Pass rush. Fail.  Dupree's productivity cannot be judged on sacks alone.  They don't rush 5 every time. That's TJ's job.  

[Steeler Hitman]

2 hours ago, TwoForTheMoney said:

I will be representing the opposing side. And you will need to make an argument as to why you'd sign Jason Worilds 2.0 to a big money deal. You can make the argument to RESIGN or TAG. My argument is to let him walk entirely.

Good topic and I will discuss this objectively and point by point with you taking the opposite opinion.

For starters, the biggest differences between Bud and Jason Worilds are effort and desire to do well. I think that Bud wants to be a good football and has and is putting in the work to get better. Jason was a good athlete as well who had the potential to be another Jasnon Gildon in my opinion, but lacked the "passion and commitment."  Hence he left for something else that he was commited to: his faith. 

Normally, these are difficult. On the fence. Has he made enough incremental improvement in his four short seasons to validate such a figure. Remember when the Steelers gambled on Antonio Brown and gave him his 5 years, $42.5m deal, despite having some 100+ catches combined in his first three seasons.

Let's be honest here: It is very hard to justify not paying AB.  He was on his way to completing a HOF career.  He put up numbers that only guys that are in the HOF could do.  He was a 6th round draft choice who busted his butt and produced.  I don't think one could argue  that didn't work out because the Steelers made a bad choice keeping him over Mike Wallace or Emmanuel Sanders.  He imploded and it is sad to see what he is going through and the fact that he probably doesn't see that he tarnished is Steeler and NFL legacy.  Hindsight is always perfect vision. If only I knew the winning Power Ball numbers yesterday before I bought the tickets and not after they posted them.

That was a gamble. But you could see it. The trajectory was on the right path. Dupree's situation is much akin to that of Jason Worilds. Pedestrian. Middling. Lowly sack figures in the 5-6 sacks avg per season. Worilds slowly developed into a notch above a Carlos Emmons in the hierarchy of where a Steelers OLB needs to be. Emmons is your 3 sacks per season guy. You send these guys to the Eagles and the like.

I get your point, but I am not going to bad mouth the Eagles who have kicked our round @$$ (tails) the last time we played and the Steelers have never won in Philly.  Worilds is a case of promise that never consistently showed or reached his potential.  Bud has. He has been close and then last year, he stepped his game up a few notches. Will he be Watt? No, but he can be more like LaMaaar Woodley in his prime than Worilds.

 

Argument #1 - NOT ENOUGH PRESSURE

 

Not too long ago I saw an article from Still Curtain commenting on Bud Dupree's lack of pressure compared to the league. Here are a few tidbits I plucked from the article:

 

1) He made more impactful plays but generated pressure on a per play basis that failed to crack the 50th percentile. He was average winning rep-to-rep with a win pct of 13.1%, which ranked 50th in the league. 

Are they looking at all plays or just the plays that he rushed on?  What is somewhat skewed is Bud is also asked to drop in coverage and has been used to shadow running QB's as well.

2) Dupree had a poor pressure rate and was still average. According to PFF, Dupree has ranked 83rd, 44th, 51st, and 63rd in pressure rates over his first 4 seasons.

No argument that Bud was inconsistent and did not begin to put together good numbers until last season. Stats can be skewed with our OLB's as the Steelers ask them to drop in coverage. Remember when the let Porter go for Harrison?  J-Peezy went to Miami who let him just rush the QB and if I recall he led the league or was in the top two or three in sacks. Some of that is scheme and what you are asked to do.

3) Dupree played in 980 snaps this season, which was more than TJ Watt. Robert Quinn had 11.5 sacks, just like Dupree, but did so in 647 defensive snaps.

Great example of skewed stats. Quinn was a designated pass rusher. It is the same as a designated hitter in baseball.  Quinn was in the game in most obvious passing situations. Pin your ears back and go.  Bud and TJ are asked to do much more than just rush the QB.

Analysis: Pressure rates have remained stagnant over the four year period, which means he is the same exact player that you had doubts about before the season.  

We will agree to disagree. Pressure rates don't mean a lot if you are not asked to go after the QB and you are dropping in coverage or shadowing a running QB.

Really the art of discerning quality pass rushers is qualitative. You just know it. You see it. He gets there. I'm not a sack guy by any means. That's a team stat. Because the team covered everyone in the same 2.50-3.00 seconds that were required to beat your man. We were all on the same page. This cumulative effort led to a splash play for the defense. An individual stat is pressures. As you saw, Bud Dupree ranks in the 50th percentile in creating pressures. I believe in pressures and knockdowns and being a nuisance. Live in his head when you're not even there. Just a pure pest. That is out to destroy this game. It is far more beneficial to create pressure, because it's better to have the QB make mistakes, because that's what wins the game. Sacks just make it harder for him to win. Dupree is only getting there basically at the same rate as an average NFL pass rusher. He was in the 50th percentile, which means he is actually below average. That backs up what I see qualitatively. When I watch Dupree, I just see someone with no plan of a pass rush being completely neutralized roughly the entire game. He jumps off the ball and hits a brick wall. This is backed up by the he beats his man stat roughly 1/7 times, which ranks 50th in the league. Quite frankly, pass rush is an art form and Dupree's gameplan is to outbrute a bigger brute. That's a problem. His pressures are too few and far between. Looking at Robert Quinn. And touching on the opportunities stat. Dupree played in roughly 50% more snaps than Robert Quinn. Therefore, if Bud Dupree is in the 50th percentile in pressures, Robert Quinn is in the 75th percentile on a per play basis. And Quinn is 50% more productive on a per play basis than Dupree. If Bud Dupree is in line with $16m per year, than Robert Quinn is in line with some $20m ($24m) per season. Do you see how Bud Dupree is overpriced???

Sacks are the result of rushing the QB.  You won't get them dropping in coverage. Bud is also a better than average run stuffing LB.  He has rare size/strength and speed combined.  He is not HOF great or even good, but he can play and like him or not is not a bad football player. Not great, but not a scrub either.

 

Argument #2 - OUTLIER SACK TOTALS

 

Pressure rates remained stagnant over a four year period. What is the reason for the spike in sack total? 

Sacks are only half the story.  The Steelers ask more of Bud than to be a designated pass rusher.

1) Steven Nelson has been a Steelers CB since day one. And this signing has resulted in no more picking on Willie Gay (or insert boundary corner here). Off coverage. Pitch and catch. Occasionally, Willie'd rack one. More often that not, it was a slow death. No more Artie Burns torchings from an inability to recognize the concepts of a zone defense. The signing of Steven Nelson has resulted in the team being more capable back to front. This has resulted in guys being covered longer, and the guys up front have more time to get there. Watt also had a career year. But I attribute that to TJ Watt has gotten more swole and is consistently beating his man more on a per play basis. No stat to confirm. Except for the proof in the pudding. 

This helped Joe Haden more than Bud in my opinion. Teams didn't throw at Nelson as regularly just as they threw towards Edmunds side far, far, far more than they threw in Minkah's direction.

2) The Minkah Fitzpatrick trade changed the scheme of the defense. He plays in the middle. His ability allowed this change. No more wasting Terrell Edmunds covering the outside hash. He did an outstanding job. The hash didn't catch a pass all game. No longer are the days of sitting back with two deep. Praise God. With the team speed on defense, now putting Edmunds more so in the box (deeper lying dime LB) and with his 4.47 speed, space has been eliminated. Or at least truncated. This changes everything. The windows are tighter. Minkah INT vs 49ers. Tighter windows. Pressure. Turnover. That's the game. Make them make mistakes. Now we're forcing pressure from the back-end. From an increase in talent, speed, and scheme. This pressure from the secondary would not be realized if you didn't have a pass rush up front.

How good will the defense be if Edmunds has a break-out year?  He is more Bud 2.0 than anyone. Very close to making INT's, breaking up passes, and eliminating big plays.  He is a step or half step off.  The kid can run like the wind.  If he can "get it." Look out!  That has been Bud before last year.  In 2018, I think that they counted between 4 - 6 missed sack opportunities by Bud.  This year, he nailed those same 4-6 missed sacks.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Javon Hargrave. Bud Dupree had 3 sacks in 6 games with Tuitt, who was a monster. Of which, Minkah played in four games. Resulting in the same 0.5 sacks per game. When Javon Hargrave played in the final 10 games, Dupree recorded 8.5 sacks. One can conclude with someone as average a pass rusher as Dupree, as previously proven with his 50th percentile pressure rate, that Javon Hargrave is a better interior pass rusher for the Steelers than Stephon Tuitt. 

Hargraves is a slasher. He is not as good an all-around player on the Steelers defense as Tuitt. I agree, Tuitt was playing the best football of any Steelers defender prior to him going down.  Tuitt didn't have great sack numbers, but he was an absolute terror when healthy in 2019. 

3) Devin Bush. The addition of Devin Bush also changed the defense by giving us a defensive playmaker at the second level. His playmaking skills are that on par with Troy and Shazier. He truncates the field with his speed and has reduced the ability of teams to capitalize on their gimmicky nature that has plagued us over the past few years. He can run sideline to sideline so that little swing pass is eaten up quickly. He provides help in man (DB speed in a LB) and graded at some 90 in PFF in man but only 50 in zone concepts. This helps on backs out of the backfield. TEs. WRs. And the like. 

This is why some stats are deceiving as well. Bush looks like the truth and certainly a player to build the defense around with Watt and Minkah. But Bud struggled most in coverage and at times got caught in the wash or trash of bodies in the run defense. AGain, rookie, who will get better and is a building block and cornerstone of the defense going forward.

Argument #3 - YOU CAN'T PAY EVERYONE

 

So, when it comes a point in time to determine if someone is worth what they make (CORS) he's not worth the $16m with a tag or an extension. You can't afford the luxury of tagging him for one more year. You know what he is. He is the same player as he entered the league. He gets there the same as he did his rookie season. Only once did we get two new starters in the secondary did he finally crack ten sacks in a season. And you can't jeopardize the future of the nucleus of this young defense. The nucleus of this defense is TJ Watt, Devin Bush, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. And you must add to it. Defense travels in January. These guys will all be paid top 5 at their respective positions. You can't make a bad deal here, and then it costs you someone down the road. TJ Watt is a $100m player. How many years you get for that $100m will depend on how soon you pay him. You can sign players after their 3rd year. We really hold all the leverage here on Watt. 4th year with a weak 5th year option. I'd do right by him. And pay him sooner rather than later. 

Watt, Bush and Minkah will probably be paid off of the new CBA which will raise the cap and offer more spending.  In 2020, the Steelers need Bud and he is a great complimentary player to TJ. 

 

Argument #4 - AVAILABILITY OF SUBSTITUTES

Yannick Ngakeoue

Dante Fowler

Robert Quinn

Vic Beasley 

Yetur Gross-Matos (HOF)

Alex Highsmith

Penny-wise and pound foolish.  Good options if a deal falls through, but they aren't Bud either.  You could easily make the same argument about Dante' Flower as you did Bud.

The point here is Bud Dupree is not the fuel that makes that engine run on defense. It's pretty much a collective effort of quality players across the board. You can't throw a Nick Vannett pulse out there bc then they'll account for Watt. You need to take this position seriously, because it's the most important position to this team. They must get pressure from both OLBs. And Dupree doesn't get enough pressure. Let alone enough pressure at that enormous cap figure. His stats rose when the talent on the back-end improved. He's a fancy, shiny, engine with not too much horsepower. 

 

 

 

 

 

Football is complimentary.  It is a team game and some people benefit from others play.  Remember CB Larry Brown who was the Cowboys SB MVP?  You think he got that shot on his own or because Prime Time Deion Sanders was on the other side?   Earl Campbell couldn't get yardage without a good OL.  To say Bud is good because of Minkah, Nelson and the secondary and not say that Nelson, Minkah and the secondary aren't good because of the pass rush and pressure is not realistic.  They compliment each other. The pressure helped the defense create turnovers.  The pass rush helped the coverage.  Bud is not Von Miller, but he doesn't have to be.  He simply needs to be Bud and be the best Bud that he can be.  Bud is trending upward. If you are afraid then simply tag him.  See if it is for real or not.  If he has another breakout type year, then the price tag goes up more.  He is not J-Peezy or Harrison, but he is no Worilds either.

[jebrick]

And if you let Bud go then Chick is your starter and you then can't cut him.

[AFF]

54 minutes ago, jebrick said:

And if you let Bud go then Chick is your starter and you then can't cut him.

You either keep Bud or sign a roughly comparable FA and as you said who would be the target?...can’t go into draft with huge hole at OLB.

Short term best option is to keep Bud...long terms there is some valid concerns.

Edited January 31, 2020 by AlanFanecaFan

[kurgan]

Everything I was going to say, @Steeler Hitman covered.

Great convo, but I think he and others covered it.

I'll just at my social studies teacher POV real quick.... the law of supply and demand.

Tag Dupree... spend the money.  The replacements will either me more expensive (Yannick/Fowler) or lesser players in OUR scheme (Quinn/Beasley).

We won't sniff Matos without selling out the 2021 draft.  Highsmith is good as a prospect, but not ready year 1.  Anae would be the closest, but again, not ready.

Every option will also have the learning curve of playing OLB in the 3-4 for the Steelers, and will be asked to pair with Watt.

 

Yes, he is expensive.  Yes, he might underperform his contract.  Yes, he might never reach the ceiling we all want him to.

But, YES, he is worth the cost... 100%

[jebrick]

Your best argument is to let all of the FA walk and sign the 2nd tier FA ( after May 9th).  Then they would get full compensation in the following year's draft.  You are asking for a worst team because you are waiting for after the draft to address.  At that point you are in rebuilding mode.  Might as well trade Ben

[3rivers]

1 good year out of 5, and that was also the only healthy year. So, the question is, do you risk signing a player that couldn't stay healthy and for some reason was slow off the snap every year except the contract year?  I think part of  his stats this year were from:

 

suddenly better off the snap

TJ emerging as a force

Heyward, Tuitt and Hargrave inside

Minkah and the secondary being much improved

 

I am undecided on all this.  I wouldn't be shocked if he never really improved  and I also wouldn't be shocked if he wasn't quite as effective as he was in 2019, a recent example of  contractitis .  The risk of UFA and the salary cap presents itself in 2020, stay tuned  . 

If he does improve, and stay healthy, he should be a valuable defender. Thats what colbert and other GM's are trying to figure out. I would expect a few teams to be considering signing him, but how many do you think will be interested considering the above?

[Chieferific]

The Steelers have made their bed on the Dupree decision.  It's sign him or start Chick or at best a 2nd Rd Rookie.  I gotta believe Dupree gets tagged or signs. 

[AFF]

11 hours ago, Chieferific said:

The Steelers have made their bed on the Dupree decision.  It's sign him or start Chick or at best a 2nd Rd Rookie.  I gotta believe Dupree gets tagged or signs. 

I think it’s pretty much a slam dunk Bud is back one way or another.

The bigger question is what’s gonna happen at LG and TE.

[Steeler Hitman]

1 hour ago, AlanFanecaFan said:

I think it’s pretty much a slam dunk Bud is back one way or another.

The bigger question is what’s gonna happen at LG and TE.

AT LG there are some options:

1. Re-sign BJ Finney and lose Ramon Foster.

2. Keep Foster and lose Finney.

3. Lose both Foster and Finney.  Solve it by the following:

A. Sign a lower tier OG/C prospect in free agency.

B. Draft a OG and or C prospect. Then hope you find a starter in round two or three Comp Pick.

C. Move Feiler to LG and let Chuks and Banner battle for RT.

D. Move Banner to LG.

I would cut Foster. Try to resign Finney and draft a OC/OG prospect. If I can't get Finney I look to sign a mid-tier free agent OL and draft a prospect.

TE:

1. Cut Vance.

2. Don't re-sign Vannett

3. Cut both Vance and cut Vannett and try to draft and sign someone.

4. Sign Vannett and hope that Gentry and CSW are ready to play back-up.

5. Keep Vance and lose Vannett.

6. Try to sign a starting caliber TE

I would cut Vance and resign Nick Vannett  to be my starter.  Then sign a  free agent TE (lower tier) or draft a developing propsect to compete with Gentry and hope CSW improves.

 

[3rivers]

16 hours ago, Chieferific said:

The Steelers have made their bed on the Dupree decision.  It's sign him or start Chick or at best a 2nd Rd Rookie.  I gotta believe Dupree gets tagged or signs. 

Chickillo better be gone. Dupree might get a much better offer from another team, that's the part I am waiting to find out . If Dupree is gone, let Ola and Skipper play opposite Watt and let Watt  earn his new mega deal that he WILL get here no questions asked. 

Agree about the LG, but lets not forget C especially 

[AFF]

1 hour ago, 3rivers said:

Chickillo better be gone. Dupree might get a much better offer from another team, that's the part I am waiting to find out . If Dupree is gone, let Ola and Skipper play opposite Watt and let Watt  earn his new mega deal that he WILL get here no questions asked. 

Agree about the LG, but lets not forget C especially 

You’re creating a massive hole lead into the draft...neither of those 2 have shown much.

Youre forced to take an Edge guy in the 2nd at that point.

[3rivers]

27 minutes ago, AlanFanecaFan said:

You’re creating a massive hole lead into the draft...neither of those 2 have shown much.

Youre forced to take an Edge guy in the 2nd at that point.

Watt is a DPOY type player, let him carry the team in that area. Get the OL legit again if possible, but with ben fichner running the offence, I don't expect a legit run game anyways.  Dupree signing wouldn't be as bad if he played like he did last year in previous years but he didn't, hence the risk.  I'm losing interest anyways, it's not for me to watch a team with the worst OC and a team that can't run or stop the run (when they need to). At least in the Munchak era, the OL was one of the better units, but last year they had to be botton 1/4 of the league.