Steelers switch at outside LB turnings up heat on Dupree
quarterback wouldn’t be able to see him. It sure seems like the Steelers are trying to give Dupree every advantage he can get entering this pivotal season.
The $9 million question is whether Dupree will finally have a breakthrough season and tap the potential that made him the No. 24 overall pick in the 2015 draft.
“The quarterback can’t see Bud on the right side; he can see him on the left side,” Butler explained. “If he’s on the right side of the quarterback, he can see him come off the ball. He can feel him when he goes behind him and he has a feel for where he’s at. If he’s on the other side, he doesn’t have a feel of where he’s at, so he doesn’t know where Bud is.
“To me, that’s to our advantage. If he doesn’t see him, he doesn’t know where he’s at and he can’t step up necessarily in the pocket. What Bud did too much of last year, in my opinion, he got past the quarterback and to me you’re useless when you pass the quarterback and you try to rush the quarterback. Now he won’t be as useless behind the quarterback because he can work back a little bit or he can go up and under where the quarterback doesn’t see him, go up and under in front of him and try to escape that way.”
Butler went on to say secondyear outside linebacker T.J. Watt is “a little more disciplined” and would be better at keeping contain on the quarterback from the left side. “T.J. was a left-side rusher from the beginning. Hopefully, that will work out for him also.”
Give Butler and Porter credit for trying something new. For years, the Steelers rarely had their outside linebackers switch sides. It was James Harrison on the right and LaMarr Woodley on the left. It was the same when Porter and Jason Gildon played together.
This is an attempt to jump-start Dupree and provide more splash plays from the edge rushers. Dupree has registered just 14½ sacks in his first three seasons with the Steelers. When teams commit more than $9 million to a player they expect production, and Dupree will have added pressure to be more productive with the new alignment.
But Porter isn’t as fixated on sacks any more. He tallied 88 sacks as a pass-rushing outside linebacker during his 13-year career, including eight with the Steelers. Porter, however, is quick to note the game today is different than it was when he played from 1999-2011.
“Football has changed a lot,” Porter said. “It’s tough for our position because we’re judged by sacks. That’s just what it is — 3-4 defense, outside linebackers, that’s how we’re judged, how many sacks we got.
“At the same time, if you look at our defense, we had more sacks than we ever had as a team. It’s different because our team isn’t that selfish where it has to be the outside linebackers that are featured in the defense. Everyone is going to have production. It might not be that 15 sacks that I’d like my edge rushers to have. But if we’re winning, that’s all that matters.”
So, if it’s unfair to judge his outside linebackers strictly on sack totals, how are they judged?
“Impact plays are making the plays you’re supposed to make,” Porter said. “You just have to be ready. When you have the opportunity to make a big play, you make it. Our biggest thing is when you have an opportunity, make it.”
Another change with the outside linebackers this year is how young the group is. Gone are veterans James Harrison and Arthur Moats. The elder statesmen of the group are Dupree and reserve Anthony Chickillo. They’re 25.
The leading candidate for the fourth outside linebacker spot is Keion Adams, who has never played in an NFL game.
“I like my depth,” Porter said. “I love the youth. I love where we’re at. It’s not like they’re new to the system. Bud and Chickillo are going into their fourth year. T.J. is going into his second. Then, you got the young puppies behind them.”