To me Watt is still the most consistent of the four but TJ, Bud (which I can't believe), Heyward and Fitzpatrick are all playing at Pro Bowl/ All Pro level. And Nelson isn't very far behind. He doesn't have stats but I bet if you grade his entire game it is extremely high.
Four guys on D playing Pro Bowl All Pro level
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3 of the 4 are, Bud is playing well, but he's similar to Gildon 2.0, he gets his sacks when other guys do the work and he's there to finish it off. Not a bad thing, but he rarely just flat out beats his guy and makes the play.
I know I'll hear **** for that from Ark, but it's true. Again it's not a bad thing, but Watt is an all pro OLB, Dupree isn't on his level
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I know I'll hear **** for that from Ark, but it's true. Again it's not a bad thing, but Watt is an all pro OLB, Dupree isn't on his level
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I haven't liked Dupree and am still leery of a long term deal. But damn he is making a hell of a lot of plays. Two huge strip sacks in last two weeks. Certainly not all pro, but pro bowl. I disagree.
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I disagree totally with that. He had been a major disrupter even when he hasn't gotten sacks this year. He cause a sack today by getting to the QB and flushing him out and he has had his share of sacks that were him flat out beating his man and getting there. To me he has been been better on splash plays against the run that are him just going into beast mode. Don't sell him short because of his "reputation" from past years. This is not a one year flash this is something he has been working on and fine tuning his whole career and just needed better coaching than Porter.
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Hargraves is the unsung hero of the defense. He might be a Pro Bowler in a 4-3 defense.
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Gravedigger was a terror today !!! Bud Dupree is playing lights out. He is beating his man and is in NON-clean up plays as well.
TJ WATT is by far the better player and quite possibly the best defensive player we've got.!
EDIT: don't sell. Am Heyward short either he is playing BEAST.
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TJ WATT is by far the better player and quite possibly the best defensive player we've got.!
EDIT: don't sell. Am Heyward short either he is playing BEAST.
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Not selling him short, he has 10 QB hits, that ranks like 50th in the NFL, Watt has 25+ which ranked 1st.
Dupree is having a good season, but not all pro he's on Pace for 10.5 sacks. It has nothing to do with his past. Watt was 25 yards downfield on their TE man to man in the back of the endzone, then the next play he's blowing up a double team forcing Mayfield to step up into pressure, Watt is playing at an All Pro level.
Not sure why saying Dupree is having a good year, but not an All Pro season is a bad thing.
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It was the comment that he is just cleaning up I disagreed with. No he is not all pro but could be pro bowl. He has made plays in his own not just being there.
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Sure Bud has had a “light switch turned on” with his pass rush finishes, but he’s been pretty excellent on setting the edge on run defense this year too. Very underrated in that aspect.
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Watt will be successful no matter who is opposite him, not sure you can say the same for Bud.
If we can get him for 11-12 per im in, but the problem is someone will pay him top money. 1. We can't, 2. He's not worth that. Tag might have to be the way to go
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The thing with the tag it will be a one year option. Bud's starting point for a long term deal will be the tag price as was with Bell. I really haven't followed the cap the last few years but I do know it has been going up every year pretty good. I guess we will see what Colbert has in mind with Bud. I don't see us paying Bud and then not being able to pay Watt. If you pick between the two it definately is a no brainer with Watt.
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Tag with 1st round stipulation.
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I agree. My only question is what will he be with more money in his pocket? I did see improvement last year so I think that gives him a fighting chance to maintain play. But putting it together in a contract year should give some concern even if slight. Shouldn't factor in.... in a resign but perhaps should when figuring out how much bread should be handed out. The tag might be a good initial move as people previously discussed.
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To get Dupree below 15 mil per year, the Steelers would have to dangle high guaranteed money.
It's not just Watt, Watt will be up for a contract after next year, along with JuJu, possibly Cam as well, then the year after will be Minkah.
If Bud continues on his pace, he'll finish with 10.5 sacks and like 15 QB hits, and solid in the run game. Coming off of 4 sub par years (he was a 1st round pick), this season looks alot better, but it's a contract year. Thats's hardly worth top tier money at that position, but there's going to be teams that throw that kind of money at him. We can not afford to throw that kind of money at him and you don't over pay, and giving him top tier money would absolutely be over paying.
The tag for him would be 16 million.
krayola will say anything to make Dupree look bad. Bud has been a beast this year. They've got to find a way to get him resigned after the season. He's earned his new contract.
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The problem is if they don't keep Dupree, they have a HUGE hole at ROLB. They are replacing anywhere near that production with Chickillo or Ola and I doubt they're finding a rookie in the second round who could step in. That likely leaves free agency where they will certainly overpay for minimal production. It's a tough spot to be in.
Bud has been very disruptive this year against the run and pass. He should get his 10 sacks this year or damn close to it. If they can sign him long term to a reasonable deal, I'd do it. He and Watt have had a great year - at least when they don't get stupid (like yesterday) and start dropping Watt into coverage and then covering ******* Landry. I mean, how ******* stupid is that from our coaches?
I don't think there is a scenario where Bud is not on this roster next year to be honest for the exact reason Fan488 says. Too big a hole. I also do not think they get him on a long term deal either unless they can back load it past Ben's contract. Probably tag, one more season and he is gone. Then you can use a first on the position in two years. I would say Hargraves is gone because they cannot afford to keep both. Buggs is starting to see field time. Tuitt's dead cap is bigger than his on field. He is not going anywhere.
and we see what we have got from guys like Barron and Burnett the past couple off seasons. Better to lock Bud up, let Hargrave walk and try to find a big body to play NT then try to find another OLB.
This is true, then what do you do with him? Certainly not give him 16+per season? It will be rough to replace his production, but he's not signing a cap friendly deal when he's a free agent. He's going to want to test the market. So that leaves tagging him. No way I pay him market value on a long term contract, that would be idiotic.
Tag, work out a long term deal that is front loaded so he gets paid now and spread out that bonus across multiple season's. You're hung up on a very specific number. Whatever he gets, he has earned. Let the front office work their magic with the cap and lets hope that Dupree can continue to produce opposite Watt. You let him walk and now they can pay even more attention to Watt than they do now. They can't double team both guys and that's the beauty of the progression we have seen with Bud this year.
I'm hung on a specific (cap) number because there's teams out there with tons of cap space that can throw a pile of money at him, we can't do that. It's not a specific number I'm hung up on, it's the cap. We are only a projected 6 million under the cap next season. He's going to want close to a max deal, something we can not give him, nor does he deserve that. You don't want to over spend in free agency for minimal production, you also don't want to pay a max deal for above average production either.