Titans’ Bud Dupree listed among biggest FA signings of offseason

While the trade for wide receiver Julio Jones has dominated the headlines of the Tennessee Titans’ 2021 offseason, the signing of outside linebacker Bud Dupree was just as important.

The Titans are coming off a season in which their pass-rush garnered a putrid 19 sacks, the third-lowest total in the NFL in 2020. To address that, the Titans signed Dupree to a five-year, $82.5 million deal.

Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton listed the signing as one of the biggest of the offseason, and attached a “B-” grade to it. Here’s why:

Because of the question marks and inexperience on the back end, Tennessee needs a reliable pass-rusher. Harold Landry couldn’t generate enough pocket pressure on the edge alone. Dupree can provide some help.

Through six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dupree had 39.5 sacks, but he saw a significant uptick in production over the last two seasons, logging 19.5 sacks.

Dupree won’t line up opposite a player of two-time All-Pro T.J. Watt’s caliber, but he can benefit from playing behind defensive linemen Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry, the latter of whom the Titans also signed in free agency.

When you consider Dupree has to rebound from a torn ACL, the Titans made a risky investment.

He can’t definitively say he’ll suit up for Week 1, so that leaves some concerns for the start of the year, though the 28-year-old should help a weak pass rush once he’s cleared to take the field.

While we love the fit with Dupree and the Titans, the signing does come with a major question mark.

The Kentucky product, who suffered a torn ACL back in December and has yet to take the practice field for the Titans this offseason, will start training camp on the PUP list, and there’s no telling if he’ll be out there for Week 1.

If we had to guess, he’ll be out there at some point in training camp and will make his debut when the Titans kickoff their 2021 campaign against the Arizona Cardinals at Nissan Stadium on Sept. 12.