Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have selected Kentucky linebacker Bud Dupree with the 22nd overall pick in the first-round of the 2015 NFL Draft, we can look ahead at what is contract will more than likely look like.
Based on this year’s salary cap numbers, the rookie pool for the Steelers is fairly easy to figure as is the slotting of the 22nd pick.
Dupree should wind up signing a four-year contract that will total out at around $8.331 million. Additionally, that contract should include a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $4.319 million. Dupree’s cap charge in 2015 should come in at around $1.515 million.
Now, the 22nd pick is right in that area where there’s usually discussion as to how much of the contract is fully guaranteed. Last year, Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel received a four-year deal worth $8,248,596 and all but $250,000 of that was guaranteed.
Knowing the Steelers, they are likely to push the envelop a little further as it comes to guarantees in the final year of Dupree’s deal. It shouldn’t, however, be too far off from Manziel’s amount.
In short, expect the first three year base salaries for Dupree to be fully guaranteed in addition to a large portion of his fourth-year.
Being as Dupree was drafted in the first-round, Dupree’s contract will include a fifth-year option that the Steelers will be able to pick up prior to him entering the fourth-year in the league.
