Where Will The Gifted Talent at DT Land?
By: Gladys Louise Tyler
The free agency period for 2021 is going to be a mad…mad world. One of the highlights will be the destination of the Super Bowl Champion’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
Suh, who represents himself, has been playing on one year contracts since his release by the Miami Dolphins in 2018. He has played one year with the Los Angeles Rams and two years with the Buccaneers.
Where next?
Tennessee Titans
The Jadeveon Clowney experiment in Tennessee should be officially over. Clowney played eight games before leaving the season with knee surgery and zero sacks.
The Titans as a team managed only 19 sacks last season. That ranked them 30th in the NFL, with an average of 1.2 sacks per game. Suh had 1.5 sacks in the Super Bowl, after finishing the 2020 season with six sacks.
Tennessee is predicted to have $1,309,657 in salary cap according to spotrac.com.
Denver Broncos
Just as the Clowney experiment is over, it appears the Von Miller era in Denver is in question.
The Broncos who have at least $39,459,390 to spend have serious decisions to make regarding their team. Not only Miller but the pending free agency of Justin Simmons and the keep or release questions regarding quarterback Drew Lock.
If Miller goes, Suh is the man who could not only help solidify that defensive line but step right into the leadership position that Miller occupied.
New York Jets
The Jets are in full rebuild. New coach Robert Saleh has the second most money to spend in free agency, $75,532,774. Not saying the Suh will chase the dollars after getting his Super Bowl ring, but…
Saleh for his part is a defensive minded man. His 2019 San Francisco Niners defense was tied for fifth in sacks (48) and was sixth in quarterback pressures (172).
And while he has Quinnen Williams still on the Jets roster, who led the team with seven sacks; the next man up was Tarell Basham with 3.5 sacks for the season.
Putting Suh in that defensive front would not only add leadership but potentially help propel the 20th ranked team in sacks to the top ten.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Everyone knows the Buccaneers have a lot of pivotal players entering free agency. According to Doug Farrar and Mark Shofield from Touchdown Wire, three of the top ten free agents are Buccaneers. And while the top ten list does include linebackers Lavone David (#4) and Shaq Barrett (#8), it has Suh listed as 35th.
The Buccaneers are predicted to have $27,784,114 to spend in free agency. Not bad unless you have David, Barrett, Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette, Ryan Succop and Suh as part of the 30 men you have that will be free agents.
Suh has reportedly stated he wants to stay in Tampa Bay for the 2021 season. This would be his third one-year contract with the team. Even if he signs for his 2019 price tag of $9.25 million, that would be a bargain price that would allow Tampa to retain more of the core that won the Super Bowl LV.
Suh
Drafted the second overall pick by the Detroit Lions in 2010, Suh is an Ironman. He has not missed a game since 2011. He has 58.5 career sacks and per Pro Football Focus he is the only defensive lineman in the NFL to have played more than 10,000 snaps since the 2010 season.
Wherever he lands, and it will most likely be in Tampa expect Suh to do the expected. Play hard.
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