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Pittsburgh Steelers News & Rumors

Should Steelers Extend Fifth-Year Option To Bud Dupree

March 24th, 2018 at 6:12pm CST by Ryan Posner

Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette looks into whether the Steelers should extend linebacker Bud Dupree the fifth-year option attached to rookie contracts for first-round picks. Over the last two years, the Steelers extended the offer for the option to Ryan Shazier but did not for Jarvis Jones, who left in free agency.

Bouchette sees the decision, which must be made by May 3, as a “minimal risk” for the Steelers, as such fifth-year options are not guaranteed. He also pointed to the Steelers decision-making with former linebacker Jason Worilds, who was given a transition tag worth $9.75MM in 2014 before announcing his retirement following that season. Bouchette also believes Dupree’s fifth-year option would cost less than Worilds’ transition tag.

The Steelers selected Dupree with the 22nd overall pick of the 2015 draft out of Kentucky. He started a career-high 15 games last season, resulting in a career-best six sacks. He tallied 8 1/2 sacks combined through his first two seasons.

Contract Details: Burnett, Bodine, Williams

March 23rd, 2018 at 8:45pm CST by Ryan Posner

Let’s take a look at the most recent new contracts around the NFL:

AFC

NFC

Steelers Unlikely To Sign Alfred Blue

March 22nd, 2018 at 9:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson
  • Several teams have been in contact with free agent running back Alfred Blue, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Steelers, presumably in the market for a veteran backup to Le’Veon Bell, are one of those clubs, but it doesn’t appear as though Blue will be signing with Pittsburgh. Blue, 26, hit his high-water mark in 2015 by rushing for 698 yards in nine starts for the Texans, but the addition of Lamar Miller has forced Houston to scale back Blue’s role since then. In 2017, Blue played on 21% of the Texans’ offensive snaps but managed only 3.7 yards per carry.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/22/18

March 22nd, 2018 at 7:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Los Angeles Rams

Oakland Raiders

Pittsburgh Steelers

Falcons Interested In LB Arthur Moats

March 21st, 2018 at 8:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Falcons have expressed interest in free agent linebacker Arthur Moats, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who adds the Steelers haven’t ruled out a reunion with Moats.

An eight-year NFL veteran, Moats has split his career equally between Buffalo and Pittsburgh. The 30-year-old started 12 games and played 50% of the Steelers’ defensive snaps as recently as 2015, but his role was drastically reduced in 2017. Pittsburgh turned to younger defenders such as Bud Dupree, so Moats only saw action on 8.4% of the club’s snaps.

Still, the Falcons are searching for rotational edge rushers, and Moats could fit that bill, as he was typically good for three-to-four sacks annually during his best seasons with the Steelers. Not only did Atlanta lose Adrian Clayborn to the Patriots in free agency, but it also released defensive end Derrick Shelby. Moats isn’t the only defender on the Falcons’ radar, as they also met with Pernell McPhee today, while the club also has interest in ex-Buccaneer Robert Ayers.

NFL Draft Rumors: Chubb, Bucs, Steelers

March 20th, 2018 at 12:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Long considered to be a top-three pick, Bradley Chubb might be sliding down mock drafts after the Jets traded with the Colts to get to No. 3 in the upcoming NFL Draft. The move, which could signal a run on quarterbacks early in the draft, isn’t slowing down the N.C. State pass rusher, however.

According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who spoke with Chubb’s agent, the top defensive end in the rookie class already has meetings scheduled with five teams between Sunday night and Monday before his pro day. All of those teams currently are slated to pick in the top seven spots in the draft.

Florio also spoke with longtime assistant coach Jim Washburn, who praised the defensive end as a potential perennial double-digit sack producer if he ends up in the right system. “If I was the team in need I would be very, very careful on passing on him,” Washburn said.

The flurry of moves could push down one of the top talents in the draft past the top five and to a team like the Buccaneers at pick No. 7. The move would be a steal for Tampa Bay, who is already locked in to Jameis Winston as the team’s franchise quarterback and ranked dead last in the NFL in sacks a year ago.

Regardless where he goes, Chubb is slated to be an impact performer from the moment he steps on the field.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Earlier in the week, the Steelers signed linebacker Jon Bostic to a two-year deal to potentially replace Ryan Shazier, who is recovering from a devastating injury in 2017. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, however, tweets the former Colts linebacker is merely just a seat warmer for whoever the team drafts in the first two rounds. One of those players who could be available is Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch, who Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller projected to Pittsburgh in his latest mock draft. On Vander Esch, Miller writes: “Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch is a 6’4″, 256-pound linebacker with good speed (4.65 in the 40) who possesses the ability to take on tailbacks in run support, the speed to pursue on the edge and the instincts to cover pass-catchers over the middle.”
  • The Browns signed one of this year’s top free agent running backs in Carlos Hyde, but they have not ruled out selecting Penn State star Saquon Barkley.

Steelers To Sign Morgan Burnett

March 20th, 2018 at 8:58am CST by Zachary Links

The Steelers will sign defensive back Morgan Burnett, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a three-year deal worth close to $14.5MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Burnett just wrapped up a four-year, $24.75MM deal with the Packers and he was said to be seeking a deal worth more than $8.5MM per year at one point. He fell short of that goal, but he still did well considering how stagnant the free agent safety market has been this year.

In eight years with the Packers, Burnett logged snaps at cornerback, free safety, and even linebacker. Heading into free agency, the Bears and Browns had some interest, but it’s not clear if they ever made offers to him. Ultimately, Burnett chose the Steelers because he wanted the chance to play for two historic franchises that also value veteran leadership, Fowler hears (on Twitter).

With the Steelers, Burnett seems likely to take over at one of the starting safety spots in place of Mike Mitchell. He’ll also help fill in some gaps at cornerback and free safety now that Will Gay is out of the picture.

Burnett, 29, has been an effective and versatile player throughout his career, but injuries have been an issue. He has not played a full season since 2012 and he has missed ten regular season games over the past three seasons.

News of Burnett signing with the Steelers was first reported by former Packer James Jones (Twitter link).

AFC Contract Details: Butler, Johnson, Bridgewater

March 19th, 2018 at 6:40pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are figures on some of the recent contracts signed around the NFL, with all links going to Twitter unless noted otherwise.

S Michael Thomas Visits Steelers

March 19th, 2018 at 2:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers hosted safety Michael Thomas on a visit, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic tweets. This is the first known visit for Thomas, who spent five seasons with the Dolphins.

However, Kaboly reports Thomas left Pittsburgh’s facility without a contract. Both sides could be surveying their options, and the Steelers are in need of safety help.

Pittsburgh cut longtime back-line starter Mike Mitchell, though the Steelers are interested in a reunion at a lower rate, and has not seen its second-round investment in Sean Davis pay off just yet. Despite restructuring the deals of several players, the Steelers still have barely $2MM in cap space.

Thomas, who turned 29 over the weekend, served as a part-time starter and full-time special-teamer in Miami. He made 24 starts (12 in 2015) during his tenure with the Dolphins.

Steelers Sign LB Jon Bostic

March 18th, 2018 at 8:46am CST by Rory Parks

The Steelers have signed LB Jon Bostic to a two-year deal, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Pittsburgh has been quiet since free agency officially opened earlier this week, and Bostic represents the club’s first free agent signing of the new league year.

And it’s a signing the team needed to make. As PFR observed last month, the Steelers’ top priority this offseason was to find a way to replace the production of Ryan Shazier, who will miss the entirety of the 2018 season (at least). Pittsburgh’s run defense collapsed after Shazier’s horrific injury last season, as five of the Steelers’ final six opponents surpassed 100 rushing yards, and the team yielded 164 yards on the ground to the Jaguars in the AFC Divisional Round matchup, damaging the franchise’s hopes of parlaying its first bye in seven years into at least a return to the AFC title game.

Bostic, whom the Bears selected in the second round of the 2013 draft, was a solid, if unspectacular, performer for Chicago during his first two years in the league. He was traded to the Patriots prior to the 2015 campaign but was not as productive in New England as he had been in the Windy City. However, after spending all of 2016 on IR following a trade to Detroit, he turned in a strong 2017 season for the Colts, starting 14 games and posting a career-high 97 tackles along with one sack, one fumble recovery, and three passes defended. He also graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 40 linebacker in the NFL, a career best, and he was listed as PFR’s 14th-best FA linebacker in this year’s free agent class.

Unless the Steelers make another move either in free agency or the draft, Bostic will pair with Vince Williams to form the starting ILB tandem for Pittsburgh in 2018.

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