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The deadline for NFL groups to make use of the franchise tag handed at 4 p.m. Tuesday, and the Pittsburgh Steelers declined to apply it to exterior linebacker Bud Dupree.
For simply the second time prior to now 5 years, the Steelers didn’t tag any of their gamers. The Steelers tagged Dupree final season and used the tag on working again Le’Veon Bell after the 2017-18 seasons.
By tagging Dupree, 28, it might have set his wage for 2021 at practically $19 million. Dupree earned $15.828 million underneath the franchise tag in 2020 and, per NFL guidelines, his wage would have elevated by 20% if he have been tagged a second time.
Huge receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was one other candidate for the franchise or transition tags, which might have set his wage at $16.43 million and $14.269 million, respectively. Dupree and Smith-Schuster are amongst greater than a dozen Steelers gamers that may turn out to be unrestricted free brokers March 17.
Common supervisor Kevin Colbert advised reporters lower than three weeks in the past that it might be “uncertain” for the Steelers to make use of a tag this offseason.
After remodeling quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s contract final week to create a $15 million discount in salary-cap area for 2021, the Steelers aren’t near having the form of monetary flexibility so as to add a $19 million wage for Dupree.
The exact NFL wage cap hasn’t been decided however shall be no decrease than $180 million. The Steelers have a rollover of $4.95 million they’ll carry into 2021. Nonetheless, they’ve solely about $3.6 million in cap area obtainable, according to overthecap.com. Any improve of the wage cap above $180 million, after all, would give the Steelers extra spending energy.
As soon as the ultimate wage cap determine is decided, the Steelers can see how a lot room they’ve with a purpose to retain a few of their different less expensive free brokers.
The Steelers might attempt to re-sign Dupree till he hits free company, however spotrac.com projects Dupree having a market worth of $18.2 million. Smith-Schuster carries a $16.1 million market worth, in response to the location.
Dupree had eight sacks in 2020 earlier than his season was lower brief after 11 video games due to a torn ACL. He had a career-high 11.5 sacks in 2019.
Joe Rutter is a Tribune-Evaluation employees author. You possibly can contact Joe by e mail at jrutter@triblive.com or through Twitter .
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