Former Pittsburgh Steelers' linebacker Devin Bush signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, officially ending his time as a Steeler. While Bush had a fair amount of success in Pittsburgh, he will ultimately be remembered as one of the biggest first-round draft busts in the history of the team. Whether or not this criticism is fair, is for the most part, irrelevant as Bush is eager to have a fresh start with the Seahawks. The Steelers were also ready to part ways with Bush as General Manager Omar Khan has completely revamped the inside linebacker room this free agency period. Out goes Devin Bush, Myles Jack and Robert Spillane. In comes Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts.
There is perhaps no better example of Bush being excited to play elsewhere in 2023 than his most recent tweet.
There are a plethora of ways to interpret the recent tweet from Bush. Is he just genuinely excited to be a member of the Seattle Seahawks? Is he "throwing shade" at the Steelers by capitalizing the word, "SEAHAWKS." Both are up for debate. However, there was no debate as to whether or not he would be back with the Steelers following the conclusion of the 2022 season. Both Bush and the Steelers knew a reunion would not be beneficial for either party. It was ultimately the right time to cut losses and allow the former first-round pick to look elsewhere for a new team in 2023.
Bush seemed to be well on his way to becoming one of the most dynamic inside linebackers in the entire NFL during his rookie season in 2019. He compiled 109 total tackles, nine tackles for loss and two interceptions. The Steelers undoubtedly thought they had found their replacement for former linebacker, Ryan Shazier. Unfortunately, a season-ending knee injury in 2020 prevented Bush from ever regaining the high level of play he had as a rookie. Since coming back from his injury during the 2021 season, Bush has been one of the most polarizing players for the Steelers. His inconsistent play and hesitancy to attack the run were ultimately his greatest downfalls during his time in Pittsburgh.
Did The Steelers Give Up On Devin Bush Too Early?
Devin Bush struggled tremendously with proving he was capable of being a three-down linebacker for the Steelers after his rookie season. He failed to make any significant splash plays. Especially this past season, ending his 2022 campaign with zero sacks, zero interceptions and only two tackles for loss. A severely underwhelming season for a player Head Coach Mike Tomlin had high aspirations for prior to the season. With all this being said, Bush is still only 24 years old.
Furthermore, while his play was far from stellar in 2022, he played significantly better than he did during the 2021 season. Bush was ultimately on his way out of Pittsburgh regardless of whether or not the Steelers wanted him back in the fold next season. However, the Steelers decision to "give up" on Bush came well before the 2022 season concluded.
The decision to move on from Bush was, for the most part, answered at the beginning of the 2022 season when the team would consistently give more playing time to fellow inside linebackers Myles Jack and Robert Spillane. Bush was used more as a rotational player this past season and was rarely on the field for third-down plays, a clear indication of where exactly he stood in the inside linebacker pecking order. Even 2022 rookie, Mark Robinson, began to see more snaps than Bush during the last few games of 2022.
While Bush playing elsewhere in 2023 will serve as a good thing for the defense, there is no denying that the Steelers did not do a great job of surrounding Bush with a solid running mate at inside linebacker during his four seasons in Pittsburgh. He played with a different fellow inside linebacker every year, failing to build continuity with players such as Mark Barron, Robert Spillane, Joe Schobert and Myles Jack.
Make no mistake, the point of this example is not to make it seem like the Steelers should have brought back Bush in 2023. He was ineffective at creating turnovers and lacked the necessary aggressiveness needed to be effective against the run. The team absolutely did the right thing by bringing in both Holcomb and Roberts this offseason. However, do not be surprised if Bush reinvents himself in Seattle and is a solid player for them next year. At only 24 years old, he still has every opportunity in the world to prove he is a starting-caliber inside linebacker in this league.
A New Start: The Best Thing For Both Devin Bush And The Pittsburgh Steelers
Ultimately, as Bush so eloquently put in his most recent tweet, the time was right to move on. Bush was never going to be able to live up to the type of player the organization felt he could be and the Steelers could not wait around another year for him to show significant improvement. While the Steelers may have given up on him a bit too soon, Bush was inevitably going to play for another team at some point in his career. He just never seemed to fully immerse himself in the smash-mouth type of defense the team aspires to have.
As disappointing as his career in Pittsburgh was, the Steelers should be excited for the future of the defense in 2023. Both Holcomb and Roberts have proven themselves to be the types of players who will thrive in the tough-nose, hard-hitting, culture of the Steel Curtain. They will undoubtedly serve as an upgrade over Bush in 2023.
Thoughts, Steeler Nation?
How did you feel about Bush's tweet? Did you find it to be a slap in the face of the Steelers? Do you feel as if the Steelers should have considered bringing him back in 2023? Let's hear it in the comments!
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