As he looks ahead to contract talks with the Lions, Ndamukong Suh has signed with CAA Sports agent Jimmy Sexton, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (via Twitter). Suh is believed to have hired Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports for marketing purposes, but it looks like Sexton will be handling the defensive lineman’s contract negotiations.
Suh, 27, has two years remaining on his current contract with the Lions, but there’s a very good chance he and the team will address and rework that deal this offseason. Suh’s current 2014 cap hit of $22.41MM isn’t tenable for the Lions, so the two sides may work out an agreement that pushes some of that money back to 2015 — the club could also spread Suh’s salary out beyond 2015 if the two sides agree to an extension that tacks additional years onto the current contract.
Multiple reports earlier this week indicated that Suh had been considering representing himself in those negotiations with the Lions, but hiring an agent like Sexton looks like the right call. Given the leverage Suh has at this point, a contract extension could give him long-term security throughout the rest of his prime, so it’ll be important to maximize his value.