Should The Cowboys Sign Ndamukong Suh?
Should the Cowboys sign Ndamukong Suh? Or should the Cowboys look elsewhere?
The Dallas Cowboys mini-camp officially came to an end last week. Training camp is in late July meaning that we are in the dead period of the NFL offseason. That being said, I want to talk about one of the best available free agents left. A free agent who brings veteran presence, toughness, consistency, and has a Super Bowl title. The player I am talking about is five-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
Every Super Bowl-winning Cowboys team has always had a defensive lineman that played with a couple of screws loose but overall just had nastiness about their game. That type of player that most defensive coordinators love to have. A player that plays with an edge, also a guy that may go over the top at times and get penalized. Former Dallas Cowboys/NFL Hall of Famers such as defensive lineman Randy White and Charles Haley brought that edge, ruthless aggression, and nastiness to those late 70s and early 90s Cowboys teams. That’s what Suh could possibly bring to this Cowboys defense.
Who Is Ndamukong Suh?
Position- DT
Height- 6’4, weight- 313 pounds, age- 35
College- Nebraska, draft- 2010 Round 1st/ 2nd overall pick by Detroit Lions
Suh was a top draft pick out of the University of Nebraska where he absolutely dominated. In his senior year, he racked up 20.5 sacks, was a finalist for the Heisman, and was awarded AP player of the year awarded to the most outstanding college football player of the year. Suh was the first defensive player to win the award in 2009. He won multiple awards that year and in years past at Nebraska.
In his first four seasons at Detroit, he was basically the anchor on their defense and played at a high level. However, his biggest downfall was he racked up multiple fines of about $200,000 worth. For example, in 2014 Suh was fined for stepping on Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers’ calf after the play was over. Outside of that, Suh played with toughness and never missed a game due to injury, and has remained healthy throughout his career in the NFL.
After the 2014 season, Suh signed with Miami Dolphins where he would continue to play at a high level and the penalties decreased. In 2016 he had a career-high combined tackles total of 72 and 32 assisted tackles. However, after the 2017-18 season, the Dolphins would release Suh to free up cap space. No more than two weeks later Suh would sign a one-year deal with the Rams for $14 million. That year Suh would go to his first Super Bowl but they would lose to the New England Patriots. However, this wouldn’t be the last time he would make it back to the Super Bowl.
For the next three seasons, Suh signed three one-year deals with Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the 2020 season, the Bucs would go to the Super Bowl and beat the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs 31-9. Suh would record 1.5 sacks on star Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. In those three seasons for the Bucs, Suh recorded 112 total tackles(48 assisted tackles) and 14.5 sacks. However, as of now, Suh is still a free agent so let’s break down why the Dallas Cowboys should sign him.
<img class="lazyload" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/s.yimg.com/nq/storm/assets/enhancrV2/23/logos/youtube.png?fit=880%2C36&ssl=1" height="36" data-recalc-dims="1">Ndamukong Suh || 2020-2021 Season Highlight Mix || Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Yes, Sign Ndamukong Suh To A New Deal
Like I said earlier he’s in his mid-thirties, which is a factor why he remains a free agent. The production is still there considering last season he had 27 total tackles and six sacks. Yes, it’s not at the same level as years past but it is still good production. Secondly, you have seen Suh mature from being known as one of the dirtiest players in the NFL to a leader.
This Cowboys team has another chance to add a veteran to this young defense that has played in the big game and can still contribute at a high level. That’s what I believe still Suh brings and with Cowboy’s defensive tackles Osa Odighizuwa, and Neville Gallimore, you can’t tell me that the Cowboys couldn’t benefit from a player like Suh. Basically, Suh in this part of his career would be a player/coach on this defensive line.
Yes, he’s older now but Suh’s hand usage to shed blockers, apply pressure to QBs, and get sacks is still there. Suh could be a very good rotational piece as a three-tech or one-tech depending on the situation in the game. That type of player is what this defense needs to continue to succeed. Adding a player of Suh’s caliber will not break the bank and you could sign him to a one-year deal. That is right up Stephens Jones’s alley of bargain bin free agency philosophy.
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