Tennessee Titans Photo
Former Kentucky defensive star Bud Dupree has another NFL contract.
He signed a free agent deal with the Atlanta Falcons for $5 million according to NFL insider Ian Rapport.
Dupree has 266 tackles in eight previous NFL seasons along with 46.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and one interception. He played his first six seasons with Pittsburg after the Steelers made him the 22nd pick in the 2015 NFL draft after his all-SEC season at Kentucky.
Dupree climbed to third on UK’s all-time lists in career sacks (23.5) and tackles for loss (37). His senior year he had 15 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.
After playing six years in Pittsburgh, the Tennessee Titans signed Dupree to a 5-year, $82.5 million deal in March of 2021. In two seasons with the Titans, Dupree recorded 35 total tackles and 7.0 sacks with two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries while starting 17 of 22 games while battling injuries before being released by the organization on March 16.
He played the last two seasons in Tennessee after signing a lucrative free agent deal. He had a huge year in 2019 when he had 11.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss that led the Steelers to use the franchise tag on him for 2020 when he had eight sacks and eight tackles for loss in only 11 games before signing a five-year, $82.5 million deal with the Titans.
His production dropped in Tennessee the last two years when he also played only 11 games due to injury. He had only seven sacks and eight tackles for loss in 22 games with the Titans and they released him to save money in the salary cap.
The Steelers offered him a reported two-year deal but he chose the Falcons, who were 27th in yards allowed and 23rd in points allowed in 2022.
One Response
I guess Atlanta is trying to take a step backwards next year.