Former Player Says Bud Dupree Shouldn't Sign With Steelers

Returning to the Pittsburgh Steelers could be more destructive than good for Bud Dupree.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers and Bud Dupree have still not come up with a contract to bring the edge rusher back to the steel city. According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac, they haven't even started. And for one former player, he's not a total fan of the move if it does happen. 

While everyone anticipates a Dupree return to the Steelers, former linebacker Arthur Moats sees troubles for the outside linebacker. The expectation is Dupree will be given a smaller contract after two down years with the Tennessee Titans. But for a player looking to bounce back in his NFL career, Moats isn't a fan of taking a discount. 

"I do think the medical does matter and I think that could be what they are looking at even more. I think part of it is the number too," Moats said during his podcast The Arthur Moats Experience. "We in the community like to low ball, 'Oh take less, oh it's all good, this is the hometown discount.' It's easy to say hometown discount, but it's not your pocket. That's why you don't hear me holler about some hometown discount because I know what that feels like."

At 30 years old, Dupree could be down to his last few contracts as a pro. He won't be viewed as a starter in Pittsburgh, and Moats believes it could be a wrong move for a player with more left in the tank. 

"You signed and you sitting behind both of them dudes [T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith] and you don't get any snaps. Now you don't have a market next season. Or it just doesn't work out, you play bad, you get hurt, anything can happen. It's risky," Moats said. 

No one knows what numbers to expect with a new Dupree contract, but for Moats, it's somewhere around $3-5 million. Which, when you discuss everything he's against, doesn't know if it's the right move for a player many want to come back to Pittsburgh. 

"Now you're talking about going down to 3 or 3.5 and you're not the full-time guy who gets to do what you want, I just don't know," Moats said. 

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