Steelers' Devin Bush entering 'make-or-break 2022 season'

The Pittsburgh Steelers made news in early May when they officially declined to pick up the fifth-year option attached to the rookie contract of linebacker Devin Bush. Pittsburgh's decision was hardly surprising, as the 10th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft went down with an ACL tear five weeks into the 2020 season and then experienced a disappointing 2021 campaign that he ended with 70 combined tackles, four passes defended, two sacks and two tackles-for-loss across 14 regular-season games. 

For a piece published on Monday, Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports named Bush as one of nine players around the league entering a "make-or-break" 2022 season. 

"Over time, his stellar play close to the line of scrimmage and when attacking downhill was counteracted by shoddy coverage, and a torn ACL in Week 6 of 2020 derailed what mostly looked like a promising start to his pro career," Trapasso noted. "Then in 2021, Bush wasn't himself. He missed more tackles than ever, was hardly a force in the box and the coverage woes continued." 

The Steelers are hoping to avoid a figurative reset following the retirement of future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and are on track to have former Chicago Bears starter and Buffalo Bills backup Mitchell Trubisky as their QB1 in September. Bush playing either for a second pro contract or the right to be franchise-tagged could prove to be a storyline to follow for a Pittsburgh defense tasked with limiting the high-powered offenses of the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns this fall. 

"I don’t think I’ve got nothing to prove," Bush remarked earlier this month, according to Josh Rowntree of Audacy. "I’m a first-rounder, a top 10 pick. That’s never going to change. I don’t think I’ve got to prove anything to anybody. I’ve just got to go out there and play football.

"My mentality is going out there and being a football player again."