Mike Florio Says Suh Sweepstakes Down To Lions, Dolphins
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, a four-time All-Pro set to hit free agency Tuesday, has narrowed down his options for 2015 and beyond to the Detroit Lions and the Miami Dolphins, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Florio said Miami's interest in Suh comes from owner Stephen Ross's desire to make a dramatic acquisition.
"This isn't about football decisions," Florio said on Miami radio station WQAM. "You're going to have some bad football decisions made under the guise of very good business decisions, and bringing Suh to South Florida is that moment where you hold up the jersey, that Brett Favre moment Mike Tannenbaum had with the Jets in 2008. You make a big splash, you bring in a big name, you hope for the best.
"You bring in a guy like that, and it changes the way people think about a franchise," Florio continued. "And I thought it would be a team like the Jaguars or Raiders that would do that, but my understanding is it's the Dolphins or the Lions, and the other teams are just leverage for whatever package agent Jimmy Sexton ultimately can negotiate with the Dolphins. I've heard $15 million a year is the likely ending point. They'd like to get to $17 million a year, but $15 million on a seven-year deal or a six-year deal ... something like that is what's been percolating on the grapevine."
With his new contract, Suh will almost certainly surpass Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt as the most highly paid defensive player in the league. Watt received a six-year, $100 million deal that includes $51.8 million in guaranteed money. Watt got that deal without the free agency leverage Suh now holds.
"I don't think it's a good football decision to overpay for Ndamukong Suh or any player, but teams will overpay for players with big names because this is an entertainment business," Florio said, "but this will be a great test. You take Ndamukong Suh off the Lions, you drop him down in the middle of that line … I think it will be a fascinating experiment. The problem is, like all experiments, there's a chance it's going to blow up."