Wilfork Joins List Of Defensive Tackles Lions Could Pursue If They Do Not Re-Sign Suh
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - Other teams can enter negotiations with All-Pro defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh beginning Saturday, the start of the three-day negotiating period before free agency officially begins Tuesday. The Detroit Lions would obviously prefer to ink Suh to a long-term deal before any of that occurs, but the odds Suh will commit before exploring his options are looking increasingly slim.
The day Suh starts talking with other teams, of course, the Lions can also start talking with the free agents of other teams. If they do not believe they will get a contract done with Suh, they could pursue a number of other veteran defensive tackles with talent and experience.
Vince Wilfork, New England Patriots - The mountain of a man who has anchored the New England defense for the last 11 seasons will be a free agent Tuesday. Before the 2014 season, the Patriots signed a one-year, $8 million deal with an option for two more years, according to ESPN. Wilfork bounced back from a torn Achilles, which robbed him of most of his 2013 season, and played all 16 regular season games for the Patriots in 2014, a season that ended in another Super Bowl for New England. At 33 years old, Wilfork is obviously on the older end of the spectrum, but his body of work is widely respected. His age and the season-ending injury in 2013 could allow teams, like the Lions, to knock his price down into an acceptable range, making him a solid value as well as a talented addition.
When the Lions added wide receiver Golden Tate and safety James Ihedigbo in free agency before the 2014 season, they noted repeatedly that each player had won a Super Bowl. Wilfork has two rings.
Wilfork wrote in a farewell letter to New England fans that he has "lots of gas still in the tank," but it is probably a stretch for the Lions to bring in a player of his age to replace Suh. Then again, no one the Lions add will be a true replacement for Suh, the best at his position and in the prime of his career.
Terrance Knighton, Denver Broncos - Like Wilfork, Knighton is a talented defensive tackle who consumes space like few others. Like Wilfork, Knighton sits well above the weight that is listed on the team's roster. A Bleacher Report article in January revealed the Broncos fined Knighton repeatedly for missing weight markers. A source close to the situation told CBS Detroit he was about 15 to 20 pounds over his ideal playing weight at times. Since the end of the season Knighton has slimmed down and is eating healthy and exercising, the source said, and he is confident he will be able to maintain that ideal playing weight for whichever team signs him. For the huge human he is, Knighton is more athletic than he looks, with exceptionally quick feet. He was a wide receiver in high school and to this day can still dunk.
The weight issue could be off-putting to the Lions, who declined to pick up the option of free agent Nick Fairley in part because of concerns about his ability and motivation to stay within a certain range. However, Knighton is one of the best options available at the position in free agency, and he has proved durable. He missed three games in 2011 but played all 16 in the other five seasons of his career. At 28, he should reasonably have at least three or four more solid years in him. An older player like Wilfork could, too, but in terms of age Knighton is obviously a much safer choice.
Stephen Paea, Chicago Bears - Known for his strength, Paea put together a banner year in 2014. He played all 16 games for the first time in his career and racked up 33 tackles, six sacks and two forced fumbles. He is 26 years old, so if the Lions will be replacing Suh, Paea could be an ideal candidate to present as the new face of the defense for years to come. However, given his sack numbers and relative youth, Paea could be one of the more expensive options on this list.
Nick Fairley, Detroit Lions - As mentioned earlier, the Lions declined to pick up Fairley's option before the 2014 season. Fairley got his weight under control and played well, but a knee injury ended his season in Week 8. In his first four seasons, Fairley has not been particularly durable, missing six games in 2011, three games in 2012, one game in 2013 and eight games (plus the playoff game) in 2014. For another team, Fairley might be a riskier pick given his injury history and the weight question, but the Lions should have all the information they could want to make a decision one way or the other.