All eyes will be on Bud Dupree this season. The Steelers exercised their fifth-year option on the outside linebacker, banking on a breakout season in 2018 after 14.5 combined sacks in his first three years.
There are tons of “Breakout Candidates” articles flying around the blogosphere for each team this time of year. We could do one for the Steelers, but their biggest breakout candidate isn’t necessarily one player. It’s half the defense.
And that’s the problem.
The Steelers could use a breakout season not only from Dupree, but from several other defenders who were early-round draft picks.