Mark Madden's Hot Take: Injury-prone edge rusher Bud Dupree not the answer for Steelers

The Steelers will meet with Bud Dupree with an eye toward bringing the edge rusher back for a second stint with the team. He played with the Steelers from 2015-20.

Bad idea.

Having a quality third edge rusher is critical given that T.J. Watt, 28, is and will very likely remain injury-prone, missing nine games over the past two seasons and being limited by physical impairment in several others. (Alex Highsmith, 25, has missed just one game in his three pro seasons.)

Dupree, 30, has been hurt frequently, missing 17 games over the past three seasons and finishing last campaign at Tennessee on injured reserve.

Dupree disappointed during his two seasons with the Titans, registering seven sacks in 22 games. He’d signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with Tennessee but got cut earlier this month. He was a bust.

Dupree played six years with the Steelers but had only two good ones: 2019, when he had 11½ sacks and 2020, when he had eight sacks in 11 games before tearing his ACL.

So, what is the attraction with bringing back Dupree? Because he knows the system? There’s not a ton of system to what an edge rusher does.

Oh, wait, it is about system: #BuddySystem

Let’s get the band back together! But that band is the equivalent of Nickelback. Ironic, since the Steelers also could use a better nickel back.

If assistant GM Andy Weidl (ex-Philadelphia) can sign three former Eagles on the offensive line, coach Mike Tomlin can bring back one of his friends. It’s only fair.

Sometimes things are exactly as they appear.

But, even at a bargain price, it makes little sense to get an edge rusher who’s often hurt to back up an edge rusher who’s often hurt. Whoever plays behind Watt should have the ability of availability. Going the Dupree route is likely to lead to the next version of Malik Reed (one sack in 14 games last year).

You don’t know who’s going to get hurt. But you know who’s been hurt recently. Age doesn’t often bring added durability.

But…YAY, BUD! THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN! Get out those No. 48 jerseys.

It’s healthy for the fans. When you’re probably not going to win a playoff game for the seventh straight season, you need distractions.