Steelers have depleted OLB corps, will see old friends in Titans’ Bud Dupree, Ola Adeniyi

A week after being down to their fifth- and sixth-string outside linebackers, the Pittsburgh Steelers likely get to see some old friends this weekend who were part of their past at the position.

Among the Tennessee Titans’ edge-rusher depth chart are a pair of former Steelers in Bud Dupree and Ola Adeniyi. Dupree, who is on injured reserve but returned to practice this week, spent six seasons with the Steelers before signing an $82.5 million deal with Tennessee in March. Adeniyi spent three seasons with the Steelers, mostly as a backup.

The Steelers are scheduled to host the Titans on Sunday.

“(Dupree) is a guy that I was pretty close with when he was here,” Steelers starting right outside linebacker Alex Highsmith said Thursday. “I am excited to see him and Ola, both of them.”

.@Bud_Dupree on the practice field again today for the @Titans. pic.twitter.com/VRlL5Xgpiv

— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) December 16, 2021

Adeniyi has played about a quarter of the Titans’ defensive snaps this season – more than he ever did with the Steelers – and has 2 ½ sacks. That’s two more than the combined total of Taco Charlton and Derrek Tuszka, players who were cut by other teams this fall and spent time on the Steelers’ practice squad before being promoted and pressed into duty after Melvin Ingram forced a trade and Highsmith and All-Pro T.J. Watt suffered injuries.

While Dupree always was likely to depart in free agency, the Steelers could have held on to Adeniyi for a relatively meager salary as a restricted free agent. Then, at the end of training camp, the Steelers cut sixth-round pick Quincy Roche in favor of keeping Jamir Jones.

Roche was claimed by the New York Giants (he’s started three games and has two sacks), and Jones was later waived and claimed by the Los Angeles Rams. The Steelers also cut veteran Cassius Marsh at the end of camp. The result was a thin OLB corps.

Then again, Dupree has been limited to only seven games, two starts and one sack as he continues to ramp up in a return from a December 2020 torn ACL. He’s been on IR since Nov. 20 because of an abdominal ailment but returned to practice Wednesday, opening a 21-day window in which the Titans can activate him to the active roster.

“We still have a few days to make decision,” Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel said. “We’ll see how he progresses with the work we ask him to do.”

Highsmith was drafted in the third round last year with an eye he would succeed Dupree. His play during Dupree’s absence solidified those plans.

“Bud taught me a lot,” Highsmith said. “I always tried to watch both him and T.J.’s film. Bud is so explosive and so powerful, and over the course of his career he’s developed different moves I try to emulate. With pass rush stuff, he taught me a lot.”

Adeniyi has been a core special-teams player for the Titans and during some games has held a significant role on their defense.

“He came in as a special teams player, developed a role on the defense and has helped us in some games when we’ve asked him to go out there and rush the quarterback,” Vrabel said.

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