Falcons DE Bud Dupree: Atlanta's Biggest Bust?

Bud Dupree is entering his first season with the Atlanta Falcons. Will he live up to expectations?

The Atlanta Falcons completely revamped their defense this offseason. 

Among the bevy of signings Atlanta made was adding defensive end Bud Dupree with a one-year $3 million deal. While the Falcons will rely on Dupree to boast a pass rush that was second to last in 2022, his best days may be behind him. 

Bleacher Report predicted one bust for each team and picked Dupree for Atlanta. 

"The fact is that Dupree's best days came with the Steelers in a blitz-heavy scheme that featured T.J. Watt," Bleacher Report writes. "That makes production a lot easier to come by. When the Titans scheme asked him to win matchups by himself without the benefit of blitzing, he combined for just seven sacks over the last two seasons."

Dupree played in 11 games and had four sacks last season for the Tennessee Titans. He also had six tackles for a loss plus nine quarterback hits. 

Before signing a five-year $82.5 million deal with the Titans in 2021, he had eight sacks in 2020 and a career-high 11.5 in 2019 for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  

The Falcons had 21 sacks in 2022. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett led Atlanta with six sacks, and outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter was second on the team with four. No other player had more than two-and-a-half sacks. 

Atlanta's pass rush is the one unit that has to improve if they hope to make the jump to a contender. While Dupree regaining the form that earned him his contract with Tennessee may be unlikely, something close to the player he was in Pittsburgh in 2019 and 2020 would be exactly what Atlanta's defense needs. 

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