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Ndamukong Suh

Saints To Meet With Ndamukong Suh

March 15th, 2018 at 3:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints have interest in former Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). They’re working to bring the monster defensive tackle in on a visit this week.

Jane Slater of NFL.com reports (on Twitter) this visit will occur, with Suh set to trek to New Orleans on Friday. Slater notes the Cowboys are not expected to be in the running for the dominant defensive tackle. 

If New Orleans is the first visit for Suh, that bodes well for his chances to sign with the Saints, as Rapoport notes. The Seahawks are also among the clubs with interest and there are conflicting reports about the Cowboys’ level of interest in the multiple-time Pro Bowler.

Suh stands as the best free agent on the board after securing his release from Miami. The Dolphins’ decision to release Suh had more to do with his contract than his performance. Last year, he has the fifth-best interior defender in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. He also finished out the season with 48 tackles and 4.5 sacks – solid numbers, even if they’re down from previous seasons.

The Saints have a host of defensive linemen out in free agency, headlined by defensive end Alex Okafor. If the season were to start today – a funny phrase here in March – they’d project to start David Onyemata and Tyeler Davison in the middle. Needless to say, Suh would provide a major boost to New Orleans’ front four.

The Top 25 Remaining NFL Free Agents

March 14th, 2018 at 6:21pm CST by Zachary Links

Many of this year’s top free agents came off of the board during the legal tampering period, including Kirk Cousins, Trumaine Johnson, Sammy Watkins, and Allen Robinson. Still plenty of the names from our list of the Top 50 Free Agents remain, including some new additions. Here’s a rundown of the players to keep an eye on as free agency officially begins, ranked roughly by their expected contract value:

1. Ndamukong Suh, DT (Dolphins): The Dolphins bailed on Suh’s mega contract midway through, freeing him up to sign another high-priced contract. He won’t get anything close to a six-year, $114MM deal this time around, but he should settle in at an AAV that keeps him among the best compensated players at his position. Last year, Pro Football Focus ranked Suh fifth among 122 interior defenders. 

2. Tyrann Mathieu, S (Cardinals): The Cardinals worked feverishly to hammer out a new contract with the Honey Badger, but the two sides could not come to terms on a deal to lessen his 2018 cap hit. He has been released, allowing him to hit free agency as the best safety available. The Jets are not believed to be interested, despite his connection with head coach Todd Bowles. The other tenant of the Meadowlands, however, could have interest thanks to the presence of former Arizona DC James Bettcher.

3. Sheldon Richardson, DT (Seahawks): Richardson may have lost some luster following the trade that sent him from the Jets to the Seahawks, but he among the best defensive tackles currently available. With plenty of cap space remaining, Richardson should find a lucrative deal, though it probably won’t come from Seattle. Our own Dallas Robinson estimates that Richardson will fetch about $9MM/year.

4. Dontari Poe, DT (Falcons): Poe missed out on a big payday last year when teams shied away from him due to lingering back issues. After turning in his second consecutive 16-game season, things could be different this time. For the record – Poe has missed only two regular season games over the course of his career, so he boasts a better attendance record than a lot of other veterans on this list. He’s unlikely to circle back to Atlanta.

5. Josh Sitton, G (Bears): With Andrew Norwell off of the board, Sitton stands as the best guard on the market. He’s missed six games over the last two years, but he has four Pro Bowl appearances to his credit. He’s set to meet with the Dolphins.

6. A.J. McCarron, QB (Bengals): It’s difficult to peg McCarron’s value heading into free agency. Outside of some quality starts in 2015, there isn’t much film out there on McCarron, despite that fact that he has spent four years in the NFL. Hue Jackson was itching to reunite with McCarron, but the Browns no longer seem a likely destination for him after the acquisition of Tyrod Taylor. It’s also hard to see him landing with the QB-needy Jets after they re-signed Josh McCown and added Teddy Bridgewater. McCarron will find a home, but it may not be as a starter. [UPDATE: McCarron has signed with the Bills]

7. E.J. Gaines, CB (Bills): Injuries in the fall limited Gaines to just 11 games last season, but he proved to be a quality return for the Bills in the Watkins trade, in addition to the second-round pick that came with him. Gaines graded out as the No. 13 cornerback in the league last year, per PFF, and he just turned 26 in February. Gaines missed all of ’15 due to injury and didn’t look all that sharp in ’16, but timing is everything in free agency. You can expect multiple teams to call on him and the Texans could still have interest, even after inking Aaron Colvin.

8. Eric Reid, S (49ers): Reid is just 26 and is undoubtedly a starting quality safety. He has both youth and versatility on his side, but it’s possible that his anthem protest participation could hurt him when it comes to some suitors. Injuries over the last two seasons will hurt his market as well.

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Cowboys, Seahawks Interested In Ndamukong Suh?

March 14th, 2018 at 4:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The best free agent left on the board could soon sign with an NFC contender. Both the Cowboys and the Seahawks are interested in defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, according to Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). However, ESPN’s Josina Anderson reports (via Twitter) that the Cowboys aren’t interested in the hulking lineman.

Suh was officially released on Wednesday, clearing the way for teams to sign him. The Dolphins first tried to move his contract in a trade, but they were (unsurprisingly) unsuccessful in that effort. The defensive tackle was in the midst of a six-year, $114MM contract that Miami wishes they could take back.

Suh was no doubt overpaid – we could have told you that at the time of his deal – but he is still an impact player. He graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 4 interior defensive lineman in the NFL last season and is a three-time All-Pro. The 31-year-old clearly had a productive campaign last season, as he finished the season with 48 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

Suh would obviously slot into both the Seahawks and Cowboys starting lineup. Seattle is currently rostering defensive tackles Jarran Reed, Nazair Jones, Malik McDowell, and Garrison Smith. Meanwhile, Brian Price and Maliek Collins are projected to be in the Cowboys starting lineup.

Dolphins Release Ndamukong Suh

March 14th, 2018 at 2:31pm CST by Ryan Posner

The Dolphins are releasing five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh as a post-June 1 cut, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The move signals another attempt for the Dolphins to change their culture, which has now resulted in the departure of three of their top players within the last calendar year — Suh, Jarvis Landry and Jay Ajayi. Suh now ranks as the best free agent currently available.

Suh was due to make $16.9MM in base salary next season, with a cap hit of $26.1MM. It was reported last week that the Dolphins were considering shedding the sizable cap hit by cutting Suh. The 31-year-old was set to enter the fourth year of his six-year, $114MM deal with Miami, which was an NFL record at the time signing.

Miami still has the option to cut Suh with a post-June 1 designation. That would allow the team to space out the dead cap space resulting from Suh’s release over the next two seasons and would give them an immediate $17MM in available cap space.

The Dolphins signaled that a cut for Suh was possibly on the horizon by acquiring Robert Quinn from the Rams earlier this month in exchange for fourth- and sixth-round picks in the upcoming draft. It was also suggested the team would possibly approach Suh about restructuring his deal for 2018. The Dolphins are also expected to part ways with linebacker Lawrence Timmons and Julius Thomas in cap-saving measures prior to the new league year beginning on March 14.

Suh was graded out by Pro Football Focus as the league’s No. 4 interior defensive lineman last season, which should create a decent bidding war for the services of the three-time All-Pro and former No. 2 overall pick. He missed out on back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances, though. He was named to his first one with the Dolphins in 2016 after collecting five sacks and 47 tackles.

Suh has seen a decline in his sack totals in each of his three seasons with the Dolphins since racking up 8 1/2 in his final year with the Lions in 2014. With Suh reportedly out of the picture, the Dolphins still have Davon Godchaux, Jordan Phillips, Vincent Taylor, and Gabe Martin on the roster at defensive line, along with Quinn.

Dolphins Still “Strongly” Considering Moving On From Ndamukong Suh

March 11th, 2018 at 9:05am CST by Ben Levine

Ndamukong Suh‘s future in Miami is still up in the air. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets that the Dolphins “continue to strongly consider moving on” from the defensive tackle. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com notes (via Twitter) that the Dolphins would presumably either keep or trade Suh, as there’s little incentive to cutting him.

With Suh set to count towards $26.1MM of the Dolphins’ cap in 2018, there were already reports that the organization could cut the defensive lineman. Releasing the former second-overall pick as a post-June 1st cut could save the team $17MM, but our own Sam Robinson noted that the organization would be unable use this money until that date. Cutting Suh would also leave Miami with $13.MM worth of dead cap.

Suh joined the Dolphins back in 2015 on a then-record six-year, $114MM deal. The 31-year-old earned a Pro Bowl birth in 2016, but he appeared to take a step back in 2017. In 16 games, the defensive tackle finished with 48 tackles (his lowest total since 2012) and 4.5 sacks (his lowest total since 2011). Despite the declining numbers, Pro Football Focus still ranked Suh fifth among 122 interior defenders.

If the Dolphins were to move on from Suh, they could be eyeing some reinforcement at defensive tackle. Besides the veteran, Miami is currently rostering Davon Godchaux, Jordan Phillips, Vincent Taylor, and Gabe Martin.

Dolphins Considering Ndamukong Suh Cut

March 8th, 2018 at 7:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Entering the fourth year of his mega-contract, Ndamukong Suh is slated to take up $26.1MM of the Dolphins’ cap. And the franchise is considering shedding that massive number.

The Dolphins have not made a final decision but are discussing a release of Suh, Diana Russini of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

Miami has reportedly been exploring this possibility for a while, although the team denied a November report it was doing so. It now seems to be escalating to the point that there will be a real chance the one-time superstar free agent winds up back on the market three years after he signed a then-record six-year, $114MM deal.

After a disappointing 2015 season, Suh has resurfaced as high-end contributor. Despite not being named to the Pro Bowl like he was in 2016, Suh graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 interior defender last season. Although he turned 31 in January, the former Lions dynamo would have a big market if he again becomes a free agent.

By designating Suh as a post-June 1 cut, the Dolphins could save $17MM. But they’d be unable to use the created funds until that date. Doing this would place a $13.1MM dead cap number on the Dolphins’ 2019 payroll.

AFC East Rumors: Landry, Suh, Solder, Jets

March 4th, 2018 at 11:39am CST by Rory Parks

Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry is expected to sign his franchise tender shortly, and once that happens, he and the team will continue to work together to facilitate a trade. However, Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports tweets that Miami’s asking price in a Landry trade is still unclear, and he says the earlier rumor that the Bears could trade Jordan Howard to the Dolphins in exchange for Landry — a rumor that was subsequently shot down — sounded like a report that Miami planted in order to generate offers. If that was the case, the strategy did not work, as the trade market remains at a standstill. Robinson suggests (via Twitter) that Landry could return to Miami in 2018, but the team will continue to look for the right trade offer.

Here’s more from the AFC East, starting with another item out of South Beach:

  • Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that the Dolphins‘ recent agreement to trade for Robert Quinn is further evidence of his belief that the team is looking to move on from Ndamukong Suh (even though the two play different positions on the defensive line). Other reports have indicated that Miami wants Suh back in 2018, but the club could approach the mercurial DT about a restructure to help reduce his massive cap number.
  • Nate Solder is easily the best left tackle set to hit the open market, and as Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald reports, the Patriots have yet to make an offer to him (although the later-than-usual start to free agency means that there is still time to get something done). Solder’s preference is to remain in New England, but if the Pats cannot lock him up within the next week, Howe says Solder will seek the best offer on the open market and will not accept a hometown discount. Sources suggest he could receive upwards of $12MM annually, and if he does find a new home, the Pats will be left with plenty of uncertainty at LT.
  • Former Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema attended the scouting combine as a representative of the Patriots, per Doug Kyed of NESN.com. However, it is unclear whether Bielema will be joining the team’s coaching staff. He and New England head coach Bill Belichick are close, and Belichick may have just been doing Bielema a favor by bringing him to the combine.
  • As Mike Reiss of ESPN.com observes, the Patriots could be looking closely at running backs in this year’s draft, as Rex Burkhead and Dion Lewis are both set to hit the open market. Former Patriots executive and current Lions GM Bob Quinn recently stated that this year’s crop of collegiate backs is generally strong in pass protection, which is an asset that New England values as much as anything when it comes to its RBs. As such, Reiss suggests need could align perfectly with opportunity when the draft rolls around. Likewise, this year’s draft contains more than usual off-the-line linebackers with first-round abilities, which could also suit New England quite nicely.
  • Just like Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News sees Teddy Bridgewater as a potential target for the Jets if they cannot land Kirk Cousins. If the Jets somehow do end up with Cousins, it would open up a world of possibilities for New York vis-a-vis its first-round draft choice, and Notre Dame guard Quinton Nelson could be a perfect fit.

East Notes: Webb, Hackenberg, Dolphins

November 18th, 2017 at 7:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mired in their worst season in 14 years, the Giants could soon be faced with a tough decision at quarterback. But for now, their plan isn’t changing. Eli Manning will continue to be their starter, and Davis Webb‘s role doesn’t look to be increasing. The Giants do not plan to play the third-round rookie in 2017, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv reports.

Webb has not been receiving additional practice reps and remains behind Manning and Geno Smith, the latter being expected to keep operating as the backup quarterback. Giants wide receivers coach Frank Cignetti said the Cal product is making “tremendous progress” and noted the team would “obviously” get a better read on Webb with game action, but the 1-8 Giants may have other plans in the works regarding their post-Manning quarterback.

Webb was “all but anointed” as Manning’s successor come 2020, Vacchiano notes, but that was before the team lost eight of its first nine games. Now, the Giants have ramped up quarterback scouting, Vacchiano confirms, because of their lost season and a possible top-five draft choice that would then be awarded. The reporter adds Big Blue will “strongly consider” taking a quarterback with that pick.

Here’s the latest from the Eastern divisions, continuing with the New York teams.

  • Both the Giants and Jets have sent their GMs to Los Angeles on Saturday night for the UCLA-USC game featuring high-end quarterback prospects Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen. While Jerry Reese is heading the Giants’ contingent, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (on Twitter), Mike Maccagnan, VP of personnel Brian Heimerdinger and a scout are representing the Jets. Cimini adds Gang Green might be leading the pack among interested teams here. That’s interesting because, as of now, the Jets won’t be in position to have the kind of draft pick it will likely take to land Darnold or Rosen, provided they declare early. While it’s uncertain how many other GMs are at the Los Angeles Coliseum for UCLA-USC, at least 20 teams have sent scouts.
  • The Jets are operating their quarterback contingent in similar fashion to their stadium mates, with Vacchiano reporting the team has no immediate plans to play Christian Hackenberg. Barring a Josh McCown injury, Vacchiano writes it’s unlikely Hackenberg plays this season. Additionally, the reporter notes the Jets “aren’t sold” on the 2016 second-round pick. Vacchiano reports the Jets are “strongly eyeing” the 2018 draft class as well. The Jets are believed to be scouting Wyoming’s Josh Allen to a degree other teams aren’t just yet.
  • The Dolphins‘ pass-catching corps may look quite different next season. While Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes the team will have money to re-sign Jarvis Landry, the Dolphins are of the belief they can replace the slot receiver with a Day 2 draft pick. Landry is averaging 7.7 yards per reception, and that might not be worth a $16MM franchise tag for the team. Jackson reports Landry is expected to want a contract in the range of five years and $65MM — which would make him by far the NFL’s highest-paid slot receiver. Jackson writes no decision has been made on this front yet, and how this season finishes will influence the franchise’s thinking on this front.
  • Miami wants Ndamukong Suh back for what will be his age-31 season but will likely approach the Pro Bowl defensive tackle about a restructure, Jackson notes. The Dolphins could create $12MM in 2018 cap space with a base salary-to-signing bonus conversion, thus putting more money on future caps, and lower Suh’s ’18 cap hit from $26.1MM to around $14MM.
  • However, Jackson notes Julius Thomas probably won’t be back next season. The tight end has another season on his Jaguars-constructed (and Dolphins-restructured) deal, but Miami can save $6.6MM in cap space. The athletic pass-catcher who will turn 30 in June is on pace to play more than he did in either Jaguars season, having suited up for all nine Dolphins games thus far, but he has not been the same since leaving Denver.

East Notes: Dolphins, Suh, Cousins

November 2nd, 2017 at 7:45pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins strongly denied a report indicating that they are ready to move on from defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. The Fins are telling the truth, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes, but they were fed up with his behavior in years past. Since then, Suh has celebrated his 30th birthday and he seems to have turned over a new leaf in the locker room. Suh is in better standing with coaches, but there’s still the matter of his onerous contract. Suh counts for $19.1MM against the cap this season and that will climb to $26.1MM in 2018. The Dolphins could save up to $17MM in cap space by designating him a post-June 1 cut, but Salguero expects the two sides to discuss some kind of restructured deal to keep the union going.

Here’s more from the East divisions:

  • The 49ers’ trade for Jimmy Garoppolo doesn’t alter Kirk Cousins‘ future with the Redskins, John Keim of ESPN.com opines. Even with the Niners out of the Cousins equation, the Redskins will still probably have to tag Cousins for a third consecutive year. However, the Redskins could get bold and use the less expensive transition tag on Cousins now that the cash-flush Niners are (ostensibly) out of the picture. With the transition tag, the Redskins would receive no compensation if they decline to match another team’s offer. The Cardinals, Jets, Jaguars, Ravens, Browns, and Broncos are among the clubs that could be in search of a QB this spring.
  • Brian Hoyer‘s three-year deal with the Patriots calls for him to earn $476K in 2017, $915K in 2018, and a $2.85MM base salary ($1.5MM of which is guaranteed) in 2019, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). He could also earn a $200K roster bonus in ’19, bringing the total value of the deal to $4.44MM. The fifth day of the 2019 league year – the date the bonus is due – will be pivotal in determining whether Hoyer finishes out the full three-year pact, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes. Per the terms of his previous deal with the Niners, Hoyer is eligible for termination pay from SF through 2018.

Dolphins Prepared To Move On From Ndamukong Suh?

October 29th, 2017 at 12:02pm CST by Rory Parks

12:02pm: The Dolphins have strongly denied that they will move on from Suh at season’s end, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Defensive coordinator Matt Burke recently expressed an appreciation for Suh both as a player — and, as stated below, Suh has been playing well — and as a mentor for younger players, and the team has said La Canfora’s report is “100 percent not true.” 

8:00am: Dolphins DT Ndamukong Suh will once again find himself in hot water with the league office after grabbing the throat of Ravens backup QB Ryan Mallett during Thursday night’s blowout loss in Baltimore, and according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Suh’s continued bad behavior will help trigger his departure from Miami at the end of the season.

Ndamukong Suh

Now 30, Suh was one of the most lavish free agent signings in league history when he signed a six-year, $114MM deal with the Dolphins in March 2015. While he has played well for Miami, he has not helped elevate the defense as a whole. The team was among the league’s worst at stopping the run in 2015 and 2016, and while the Dolphins are in the top ten in that regard this season, the defense is still a middle-of-the-pack unit in terms of points allowed.

Suh’s signing, of course, predates the arrival of head coach Adam Gase, and he is seen as a largely aloof leftover of the old regime with dubious leadership skills. And, while cutting him would create some salary cap difficulties, La Canfora says the Dolphins are willing and able to deal with those difficulties to rid themselves of a player whose negatives have begun to outweigh his positives.

The full guarantees in Suh’s contract have been paid out already, and the Dolphins would save $17MM in cash and $17MM in cap space by designating him a post-June 1 cut in 2018. That would create a $13MM dead cap number in 2019, but La Canfora says the team is willing to absorb that. If Suh is still on the roster by the fifth day of the 2018 league year next March, then $8.5MM of his 2018 salary becomes guaranteed, so if Miami does release Suh, it would happen prior to that date.

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