Free agent linebacker Bud Dupree took another step towards a potential reunion with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, as the team is bringing him in for a visit, league sources told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Dupree, a former first round pick in the 2015 draft, spent the first six seasons of his career with the Steelers, tallying one double-digit sack season before signing a five-year deal with the Tennessee Titans back in 2021.
The 30-year-old didn't enjoy much success away from Pittsburgh though, as he produced just seven sacks in two seasons in Nashville.
The Titans, caught in a cap space bind, cut Dupree along with a slew of other veterans.
At that point, the Steelers buzz started to pick up steam, as fans of the team openly speculated about a potential reunion with Dupree shortly after his release from Tennessee.
CBS Sports' Josina Anderson reported that the Steelers would be interested in Dupree, who hasn't played a full season since 2019, if he's healthy.
Dupree himself added to the Steelers buzz when he texted former Pittsburgh offensive lineman Ramon Foster a ‘shhh' emoji in response to Foster asking if he would want to return to the team that drafted him.
The fact that the Steelers are bringing him in for a visit suggests that there at least appears to be some mutual interest in getting the band back together.
Fans would likely be pleased with that, as a healthy Dupree would provide a boost to an already-solid Steelers pass rush that ranked inside the top-15 teams in sacks this past season.
Time will tell if a reunion is in the cards.