Tennessee didn’t receive the return it anticipated on its investment, releasing Dupree in March shortly after his 30th birthday and saving a decent chunk of cap space.
Dupree waited a month before latching on with a new squad, moving south to Atlanta, where general manager Terry Fontenot has dedicated plenty of resources to remaking the Falcons’ defense. Dupree is the latest addition to a unit that has also welcomed veterans David Onyemata, Calais Campbell, Jessie Bates and Jeff Okudah in the last month.
At 30, Dupree still has some juice left in him, as evidenced by the seven sacks he recorded between 2021 and 2022. It’s not as likely he’ll rediscover the form that saw him tally 39.5 sacks in six seasons while with the Steelers. However, Atlanta isn’t paying for that type of defender. If the Falcons can receive decent production (and consistent availability) from Dupree, it will have been worth the $5 million.