Steelers' Ryan Shazier Detailed Surprising Take "I Wouldn't Call Devin [Bush] A Bust"

Things didn’t go according to plan for former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, Devin Bush. After a career-ending injury to Ryan Shazier, Pittsburgh quickly pivoted to finding their next franchise linebacker. They felt confident in the Michigan product, trading up to select Bush with the 10th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. After a nice start to his career, Bush himself had a serious injury in the form of a torn ACL.

After that, his performances fell off in Pittsburgh. That led to a disconnect between the two sides over the past few years, starting with the Steelers declining his fifth-year option last offseason. From that moment on, the writing was on the wall. Based off his comments after that and throughout the 2022 season, it didn't seem like there was any chance that he would return to Pittsburgh.

This offseason, Bush left for the Seattle Seahawks in free agency. Shazier appeared on SteelerNation's very own podcast, Three Point Stance, hosted by Derwin Gray and Kaleb Everhart. Shazier discussed Bush's career in Pittsburgh, who was supposed to be his heir apparent. Specifically, he talked about where things went wrong for the former top-10 pick.

"When you're younger, it's okay just to go out there and play. He had a guy like Vince [Williams] that would call the plays. As you get older in the game, they expect more responsibility out of you. I think the fact that all of that responsibility is being put on Devin, I feel that was a lot for him for a second. Once you kind of lose your confidence a little bit, it's harder for you to play at the same level that you feel you're capable of."

His injury was the first major setback in his career, and it seemed Bush could never bounce back after that. In his first season back in the lineup, it seemed like he didn't quite trust his knee as fully healthy on the field. That was obvious when he went in to make a hit or when changing directions to try and make a play. Shazier added that he doesn't think Bush would have become a Steeler had the career-ending injury never taken place.

With Williams in the fold, it wouldn't have made sense to throw Bush in there with a healthy, rising star in Shazier. Many Pittsburgh fans view Bush as a bust, as he failed to live up to expectations after a particularly impressive rookie campaign. Everyone has their own separate definitions of what it means to be a bust, but Shazier doesn't believe Bush is one of them.

"I wouldn't call Devin a bust. Sometimes, you need to be in the right scheme. The Pittsburgh Steelers scheme may not be the right scheme for him," Shazier said on Three Point Stance.

Shazier pointed to two specific athletes that fit the term "bust" in quarterback JaMarcus Russell and former NBA first-overall pick Kwame Brown. Again, everyone has their own opinions on this topic, but Shazier believes injuries played a big role in Bush not panning out. He still holds out hope for him in Seattle though, as he will be able to learn from future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner.

Without Bush in the fold, many saw linebacker as a huge area of need for the black and gold this offseason. The front office opted to address the need in free agency rather than the draft, something Pittsburgh fans aren't accustomed to. While Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts were solid signings, they still need that young, long-term guy in the middle of the defense. It could end up being one of their top needs once again for the 2024 NFL Draft.

2022 seventh-rounder Mark Robinson seems to be the X-factor in this whole equation. He's been impressing at OTAs already, and he could push Roberts for more playing time as the season evolves. Robinson has drawn several comparisons to Vince Williams due to their similar physical traits when it comes to stopping the run. In the same podcast, Shazier described the Ole Miss product as having a "very high ceiling," but that it's important for him to identify his strengths, particularly early in his career.

Do you consider Bush a bust? Are you concerned about the linebacker position for this team in the long-term? If Shazier had stayed healthy, where would he have ranked in team history? Share your thoughts below, yinz!

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