Dupree Plans to do More than Rush Passer

Free-agent linebacker plans to have a positive impact on the Tennessee Titans defense in multiple ways.

Bud Dupree knows he’s more than just a sack machine.

The free agent outside linebacker understands that the Tennessee Titans brought him in to improve the pass rush, but he wants everyone to know that there is more to his job than just getting to the quarterback.

“Anytime you get paid to pass rush, you go ahead and get sacks and make big plays in the run game, be an all-around player,” Dupree said on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. “You don’t just come in just to be a one-trick pony and just do pass rush.

“You’ve got to be able to be a tone-setter on the edge, as well, swarming to the ball, stopping the run, evolving your teammates, getting everybody hyped up.”

Dupree’s history as a pass rusher and run-stopper is well documented. In his last healthy season (2019), he tallied 11.5 sacks and 68 total tackles. Of his 68 tackles on the year, 16 were for a loss. And he added 17 quarterback hits, the highest mark of his career.

In 11 games in 2020 before a season-ending knee injury, Dupree still managed eight sacks, 31 tackles, and 15 quarterback hits. Those numbers had him on track for another career year.

After signing a five-year $82.5 million deal early in free agency, Dupree and the Titans expect him to return to the level he was playing at the season prior to his knee injury.

“We’ve got to go out and be tough, tough as nails, go out there and just play to our best ability,” Dupree said.

Regarding his recovery from reconstructive surgery, Dupree gave Titans fans encouraging news. Each day his knee is getting stronger, and it’s responding well to rehab.

“ACL recovery, rehab has been one of the most progress things I’ve dealt with so far,” Dupree said. “Each week you see different levels of progress. You see different things changing about it. I’m working hard to be back as soon as I can, but it’s up to the coaching staff at the end of the day, like when they want me to be on the field and how comfortable they feel with me coming off the injury.”

For his part, he said he expects to be ready for the start of training camp.

He chose Tennessee because of the opportunity to help transform a defense that struggled to get to the quarterback during the 2020 NFL season.

And the Titans clearly trust him to do so because of the substantial contract they used to sign him. After all, you don’t pay someone that much money to do just one thing.

“I’m trying to bring the same touch I had in Pittsburgh to Tennessee,” he said. “That will be another step for me to be a great attribute there too.”