Everything I've heard suggests that the Steelers are going to place the franchise tag on Bud Dupree. They'll do so in the hopes that they can sign the edge rusher to a long term deal. That's the right move.
Ben Roethlisberger is coming off of major elbow surgery. It's possible that he will come back better than ever, but there's also the risk that at 38-years-old his best is behind him.
All the more reason to keep things status quo on defense this year. T.J. Watt (14.5 sacks) and Bud Dupree (11.5) formed one of the most fearsome pass-rush tandems in the entire NFL in 2019.
The offense will likely be better with Ben, but I still don't expect it to be one of the better units in the league. This team needs to, once again, be carried by the defense.
Sure, the CBA could be approved, and the Steelers could have an extra 30 million dollars in cap space. That doesn't mean that they should explore free agency at the OLB position and let Dupree walk. Bud knows the system, had a ton of success last year, and his partner seems to be getting better with every passing snap.
Why break it up?