Mark Madden: Steelers LB Devin Bush does have something to prove

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason is the gift that keeps on giving.

Inside linebacker Devin Bush: “I don’t think I’ve got to prove anything to anybody.”

Are you sure? The Steelers didn’t pick up your contract’s fifth-year option. Last season, you either didn’t bounce all the way back from knee surgery or you just stunk. Couldn’t tackle, couldn’t cover, couldn’t do much of anything.

You want to make more than chump change moving forward? Prove yourself.

When the Steelers traded up to get Bush with the 10th pick in 2019’s draft, he was seen as a sideline-to-sideline playmaker in the mold of Ryan Shazier, the inside ’backer who saw his career cut short by injury in his fourth season.

But Bush has disappointed more than impressed. He’s got something to prove, whether he admits it or not.

The Steelers knew defensive end Stephon Tuitt was going to retire two months ago. They (and especially Cam Heyward) believed they could talk him into playing.

It was a well-intentioned effort. The Steelers wouldn’t have drafted different or handled free agency any different had they read the room accurately. It’s certainly not like defensive line is their only weakness or hole to fill.

The Steelers have $20 million in cap space to use, and a few prominent defensive linemen are still available.

Ndamukong Suh is 35 but still nasty. The Steelers could use more of that. Larry Ogunjobi, 28, started 16 games for AFC champion Cincinnati last season before hurting his foot in the playoffs. The injury required surgery. A failed physical prevented Ogunjobi from getting a three-year contract worth $40 million from Chicago.

But the Steelers are more likely to work with what they got. They’ve got enough.

Chris Wormley started 14 games last season and had a career-high seven sacks. (But he’s terrible against the run. So are the Steelers: Dead last in run defense in 2021.)

Isaiahh Loudermilk was the Steelers’ fifth-round pick last season, offers some unique things at 6-foot-7, had a decent rookie campaign and may be poised for a breakthrough. The extra “h” at the end of his last name could make a difference at some point.

Rotation and sub packages dictate needing at least four regulars on the defensive line. That’s assuming no injuries, LOL. Only two defensive linemen are on the field in sub packages, but those can’t always be Heyward and Tyson Alualu. Heyward is 33, Alualu 35. Who knows if Alualu will be 100% after fracturing his ankle last season?

The quarterback situation is even more fluid than that.

Kenny Pickett turns 24 on Monday. He started 49 games at Pitt. The main reason to draft him with the 20th pick overall is because he’s NFL-ready.

Yet he’s currently third on the Steelers’ depth chart, which is a pathetic charade. “Make the rookie earn it.” Nobody is buying that, least of all Pickett.

Mitch Trubisky almost certainly will start the season at QB. That adds up. But if the Steelers fall out of contention and Trubisky doesn’t give way to Pickett, that makes no sense. Pickett will be closing in on 30 before his first contract expires. Let him play.

If the Steelers don’t fall out of contention, there’s a dilemma. It would be a discount version of Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance in San Francisco.

Meantime, Mason Rudolph groused about not being helped by Ben Roethlisberger after Rudolph was drafted in the third round by the Steelers in 2018.

That probably wasn’t why Rudolph couldn’t beat the then-winless Detroit Lions in 2021.

Rudolph said he’s helping Pickett. Does anybody else not like the sound of that?

Roethlisberger didn’t want the Steelers to draft Rudolph and said as much after it happened. Is it a starting quarterback’s job to train his successor? Which Rudolph turned out to not be, anyway.

Rudolph has been in the league four seasons. He’s succeeded or failed on his own merits. Mostly failed.