Former Steelers first-round pick and now Seahawks linebacker Devin Bush will start against his former team on Sunday. That is now official after the Seahawks ruled out linebacker Jordyn Brooks with an ankle injury. Bush, who plays in the big nickel package for the team, will be elevated to a full-time role with the group. He played 40 snaps against the Titans with Brooks injured in that game.
He racked up a season-high six tackles while allowing 16 yards on two receptions in coverage. Bush is hoping to stick it to the team that drafted him and show him that he can do better than he did in Pittsburgh.
Steelers in practice for so many years. He knows what they want to do, and he thinks he can use it to his advantage when he takes the field on Sunday.
“That’s just the type of style they bring anywhere they go,” Bush said in an interview. “They got those two backs for a reason, and obviously they don’t have Pickett back there, so what else would you do? So, I mean, yeah, they’re gonna bring it. They’re gonna run the ball. That helps me out because I used to be in 9-on-7 with those guys for four years. So, I got a feel for and an eye on what to look for, what to see, how they move, who they want to run with, run behind, situations, stuff like that.”
Devin Bush, 25, was the Steelers’ first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft when the team traded up with the Denver Broncos to select him out of Michigan with the No. 10 overall selection. He never lived up to the billing of that draft pick in four seasons in Pittsburgh. Bush started 15 games in a promising rookie season in 2019, but he never recovered his form after an ACL injury caused him to miss most of the 2020 season. Tight end Pat Freiermuth is looking forward to going up against him.
Yeah, D Bush is a great guy and I’m excited to see him and compete against him,” Freiermuth said. “The stakes are high in a game like this, and to have the competitive feel with a guy like that, it’s going to be a great time out there.”
Now, the team will have a chance to go at Bush for the first time since his departure. He is going to be motivated to make plays against the Steelers, especially when he can essentially knock them out of the playoffs.