Falcons LB Bud Dupree Looking to 'Prove It' with New Contract

Bud Dupree signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons this offseason.

Jeremy Brener | Jun 10, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons made a number of additions on the defensive side of the ball this offseason ... but the signing of linebacker Bud Dupree often gets overlooked.

It's easy to mull over Dupree's signing when Jessie Bates, David Onyemata and Calais Campbell were also brought in, but the Falcons may have made the smartest move of all when inking the former Tennessee Titans linebacker.

Bleacher Report identified Dupree's contract as the 10th-friendliest new deal signed this offseason around the league.

"The Falcons deserve credit for rolling the dice on Dupree with almost no risk involved," Bleacher Report writes. "The team only doled out a one-year, $3 million "prove-it" deal to the pass-rusher and could see an immense return on that investment. While Dupree only recorded seven sacks during his stint in the Music City, he's not too far removed a two-year stretch in which he racked up 19.5 sacks over his final two seasons with the Steelers."

Dupree is expected to help a pass rush that has struggled immensely in recent years. The Falcons ranked dead last in sacks in 2021 and finished 31st in 2022. The pass rush has arguably been the biggest trouble spot for the Falcons, so signing Dupree is a good step in the right direction towards fixing it.

If Dupree struggles, the Falcons don't lose much ... but if he plays like he did with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta may have pulled off one of the best bargains in the NFL.

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Published Jun 10, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.