While it hasn’t been confirmed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, ESPN has reported that the Steelers plan to place the franchise tag on outside linebacker Bud Dupree.
Official numbers for the franchise tag haven’t been released but it looks to be somewhere in the area of $16.2 million for the 2020 season if the Steelers pay him.
With only around $2 million in salary-cap space to work with this would put the Steelers in a serious bind to sign the rest of their free agents and even their draft class.
So, what is the point? There are a few angles to look at as we unpack these scenarios. This could simply be a maneuver to keep Dupree long enough to work a trade. Even if the Steelers can only get a third-round pick for Dupree it would be a better pick than then compensatory pick Pittsburgh would get a year later.
But it could be a case where Pittsburgh is three moves ahead and do have a plan to get Dupree a longterm contract that fits in their plan. Few teams can figure out ways to manipulate the salary cap like Pittsburgh can.
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