Staying put: Steelers place franchise tag on OLB Bud Dupree
The Steelers on Monday announced they have placed the franchise tag on linebacker Bud Dupree and also announced the retirement of starting left guard Ramon Foster.
The team also released Mark Barron, Anthony Chickillo and Johnny Horton.
Dupree蘑菇视频 one-year salary will be $15.83 million, but the Steelers hope to flatten that massive cap number by negotiating a long-term deal with Dupree.
But, as they learned in the past with Max Starks and Le鈥橵eon Bell, finding middle ground with a player who鈥檒l make so much money in one year, and has the chance to enter free agency again next March, isn鈥檛 an easy task.
Foster, a mainstay with the team for 11 years and a starting guard since he became a spot starter as an undrafted rookie i 2009, provided a statement to the team:
鈥淲hen the time comes, you just know, and now is the time for me to take a bow,鈥� wrote Foster. 鈥淚鈥檝e made some friends for a lifetime, had some moments that I鈥檒l never forget, and seen some things I never thought I would because of this game.鈥�
Foster thanked Mike Tomlin, Art Rooney II, the late Dan Rooney, Kevin Colbert, the remainder of the organization and Steelers fans.
鈥淭here蘑菇视频 no other organization I would have rather played for in my career,鈥� Foster concluded.
鈥淩amon was class in every way,鈥� wrote Tomlin. 鈥淚 think his career is indicative of what this professional football journey should be about.鈥�
The moves should allow the Steelers to be under the 2020 salary cap number 鈥� which will count only the salaries of their top 51 players 鈥� by Wednesday at 4 p.m.
The Steelers released Dupree蘑菇视频 backup, Chickillo, to save $5 million. They鈥檙e now left with youngsters Ola Adeniyi and Tuzar Skipper behind Dupree and his bookend at OLB, T.J. Watt.
The release of Barron, a sometimes starter at ILB, saves the Steelers (before replacement cost) $5.25 million in salary. Holton, a special-teamer, carried a 2020 salary of $825,000. Both players were entering the final years of their contracts.
The Steelers, as presently constructed, will now rely more on their other part-time starter Vince Williams at ILB next to Devin Bush. The ILB backups are Ulysees Gilbert and Robert Spillane.
Holton was the team蘑菇视频 No. 6 WR and punt gunner/kickoff return specialist.
Foster蘑菇视频 departure will spare the Steelers his $4 million salary for 2020.
Dupree, 27, is coming off his best season since the Steelers drafted him in the first round of the 2015 draft.
Last season, Dupree produced career highs in sacks (11.5), total tackles (68), solo tackles (49), forced fumbles (4), fumble recoveries (2), tackles for loss (16) and quarterback hits (17).
Dupree蘑菇视频 career totals in those categories are: sacks 31.5, totals tackles 200, solo tackles 146, forced fumbles 6, fumble recoveries 3, tackles for loss 46 and quarterback hits 50. Dupree also intercepted a pass in 2018.