If Not Ndamukong Suh Then Who?
March 28th, 2022
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
Free agent defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh is still up for grabs as a free agent. Given how he is a mercenary and it seems annually he signs late, Joe wouldn’t be shocked if he doesn’t return to the Bucs until May.
Why May? Well, Suh already knows the Bucs defense and why put his 35-year old body through OTAs? Save it for February (hopefully).
It has been reported that Suh has been communicating with Bucs defensive assistants getting feedback on what he should work on and how best to fine-tune his body for the rigors of another NFL season.
But what if the Bucs do not sign Suh or another team cuts him a check with more zeros? Jenna Laine of ESPN has insight into that angle.
A goal for the Bucs this offseason was to get a quicker, more explosive interior pass rush. Granted, they extended Vita Vea at the end of the season, but whom will he be paired up with as Ndamukong Suh remains unsigned? They need to choose whether to bring him back, sign another free agent or reload with a high draft pick.
Joe has been expecting Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht to draft a defensive tackle since last year. Licht was asked after last year’s draft why he didn’t select a defensive tackle and his response was that he didn’t like the 2021 crop.
In fact, the 2021 draft was not good for defensive tackles but this year’s draft was thought to be stocked with defensive tackles at this time last year, and supposedly that has played out to be true.
Joe keeps hearing there will be very good value in the third round. With the Bucs selecting No. 60 overall (fifth-last in the second round) it would not shock Joe if Licht traded back into the early third round to grab a tackle.
March 28th, 2022 at 1:04 pm
I’m all about trading back in this draft, nobody but Wyatt is grabbing my eye
March 28th, 2022 at 1:20 pm
If we don’t get Wyatt then we trade back to draft a guy that can play behind Suh.
March 28th, 2022 at 1:24 pm
Free Agent – Sheldon Richardson
March 28th, 2022 at 1:29 pm
Sign Suh & Gronk & this team will be all but complete…..it will be a team nobody expected us to have.
March 28th, 2022 at 1:32 pm
Suh is a hired gun. And will probably go to the team who pays him a lot more than our Bucs are willing to pay. Besides, there’s not much cash left from spending everything on the Offense. Better draft for this position. No pass rush? No SB appearance. Simple as that. Brady or not.
March 28th, 2022 at 1:35 pm
Suh will be back. He knows he will get the best one year deal in Tampa and will wisely wait for that eventuality. We can call him a mercenary, but he bet on himself with these one year deals, and held up his end of the bargain. He stops the run, gets pressures, and brings that edge like Jensen does to this defense. Draft for the line, AND bring the big fella back to show them the ropes. I think he has a soft spot for Tampa and will take a bit less money.
March 28th, 2022 at 1:41 pm
Tampa this odd team where there too many starters now, you are drafting your TE3 or OG 2, WR4 or Pass Rusher 3 in round 1.
March 28th, 2022 at 1:46 pm
“If Not Ndamukong Suh Than Who?”
Poetic versing like this can’t help but make me think of the greats.
Move over Dickinson, Frost, Eliot (my fav), Poe, Whitman and Shakespeare.
Here come the Joes!
Too bad we didn’t get Lenny for a penny, a clown for Brown or a coward for Howard.
#badhumorbyme
March 28th, 2022 at 1:50 pm
Travis Jones (UCONN) or Logan Hall (UH). Go DE in the 1st if Wyatt isn’r there..
March 28th, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Bucs Guy Jones and Hall both forget Suh.
March 28th, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Got to disagree with you on this one Joe. It’s well known this draft class sucks for interior DL. There are really only three names that are considered to have decent potential. After that is a bunch of question marks. Your not going to find a decent one past the early 2nd round. Basically it’s just Davis, Wyatt, & Jones and that’s it. Most likely Davis and Wyatt are gone by pick 27. If they want Travis Jones they will have to take him at 27 which is probably a little high for him but he will be gone by their next pick at 60. In taking him at 27 they would be passing on better available talent at other positions. The best fit is Wyatt but the Bucs would have to trade up to get him. They already lack a 5th & 6th round pick this year so that’s not happening. Unless someone unexpected falls to them at 27 who is too good to pass up I believe they should trade back into the early to mid second round, get an extra third round pick for doing so. If they like Travis Jones they can get him in the early second or address other depth needs. They are not finding a future starting interior DL in the third round or beyond.
March 28th, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Bucs need bodies.
March 28th, 2022 at 2:02 pm
buc fan living in georgia… wyatt is a beast, kirby has those boys coached up.
March 28th, 2022 at 2:16 pm
No matter if Suh is back or not, I think Bucs wil go with DT on first round…..
March 28th, 2022 at 2:27 pm
Suh is in no hurry, like Gronk.
Suh is on record as really liking Tampa as a place to raise his twins.
“Mercenary” implies he only plays for the team with the highest contract offer. I do not believe that is true at all with Suh.
I do think he knows his value and will play for that, and not a lot less, without other lifestyle factors in the decision process.
And whether Suh is back or not (I think he will be), and depending on what roster moves the team makes prior to the draft, I am hoping the Bucs have a serious D draft, with at least 5 picks for D…
March 28th, 2022 at 2:35 pm
100% Bucs need a better pass rush. Our D has been too focused at stopping the run and making teams one dimensional as they feasted on our weak secondary. Booger and Sapp getting pressure from the inside made everybody look better. Suh and Vea play like run stoppers. An explosive compliment next to Vea makes a ton of sense.
March 28th, 2022 at 2:49 pm
You and Joe must talk to very different NFL people the past couple of years. Your statement is the very first time Joe has heard or read this draft class is poor on defensive tackles.
March 28th, 2022 at 2:55 pm
They team should draft 2 D linemen. Or one interior and a edge guy. We need to get a lot younger on the line. I would be cool if our entire draft was on defense although a TE and RB would work too.
March 28th, 2022 at 2:56 pm
I like Wyatt if he is there at 27 doubt it though would also like cb or safety there though I think they might draft a wr which will probably set alot of fans off the deep end when they do lol
March 28th, 2022 at 2:59 pm
Joe, I think you just wanted a reason for that headline haha
March 28th, 2022 at 3:02 pm
The title uses the word “than”…. It should be “then”.
March 28th, 2022 at 3:04 pm
We need to try to get a DT in round 1 or 2 — someone who can produce immediately.
March 28th, 2022 at 3:04 pm
I Love suh hope he comes back but I really would love them to get Calais Campbell he would help us so much and I love he play and he is a fla boy so bring him he
March 28th, 2022 at 3:18 pm
I think he is happy here, he has young-uns and nobody wants to disrupt that–big deal to move, new doctors, new playmates, new swim lessons, new nannies–goes on and on when it is not just you anymore. So I think he would be more than glad to stay in the great state of Florida with no income tax.
March 28th, 2022 at 3:23 pm
Joe it’s been another site who’s editor has been pushing the narative that this is a bad class for DT’s. Even if you believe that, there’s no reason to believe you can’t get a good one with the 27th pick. There might not be an Aaron Donald type talent in this draft, but how often is there? The Bucs are going to have to take a chance once, or twice drafting some D line help this year.
March 28th, 2022 at 3:27 pm
This draft class has a couple of A+ DT’s that will go early and several B- dudes that will go late second round through the fourth. Agree with Joe – if Suh signs it will be after all of the mandatory OTA’s etc.
Off topic: I need to get my plane ticket and hotel for the draft party…Are the Joe’s hosting one this year? I can’t get a Tangerine Bromosa in Virginia…
March 28th, 2022 at 3:39 pm
Hodad Says:
March 28th, 2022 at 3:23 pm
It’s “whose”, not “who’s”.
There’s actually a lot of reason to think you may not be able to get a good DT at 27. There’s a few good ones and then there’s a drop off. If the top 3 are gone by 27 and the drop off to the next one is a 3rd round grade, you don’t draft the 3rd rounded player at 27. You look for the next best player at a position of need (hopefully still a 1st round grade) and pick that guy, or you trade down for an extra pick or two.
By the way, have you read the draft bios of any of the top DTs? I have. It’s not very encouraging past the top 3… which isn’t to say we’re screwed, as there are always sleepers or guys who play above their evaluations. But it does look on the surface like not the best year for DT.
March 28th, 2022 at 3:47 pm
Cobraboy … ‘“Mercenary” implies he only plays for the team with the highest contract offer. I do not believe that is true at all with Suh.’
You hit the nail on the head Cobraboy; kudos on bringing common sense into the fray. Joe glombs onto some made-up descriptor (‘mercenary’ in this case) and like a junkyard dog refuses to let go.
I’m convinced that Suh has really found a home with the Bucs and will be back for one last hurrah, ASSUMING that the Bucs give him an offer that’s respectful. What gets so bewildering is how folks who’ve watched the Bucs intensely for years can’t see Suh’s incredible value to this team. How anyone can believe that a DT with his incredible productivity can be replaced by a rookie 3rd rounder is beyond me. Not a 1st rounder like Suh was mind you, but a THIRD rounder. Boggles the mind.
March 28th, 2022 at 4:02 pm
Travis Jones if the good Lineman are gone. Travis Jones > Wyatt
March 28th, 2022 at 4:08 pm
Trade the farm to get Jordan Davis to pair by Vita for the next 10 years
March 28th, 2022 at 4:12 pm
All in on Jordan Davis
March 28th, 2022 at 4:15 pm
UNDERRATED NEWS …
Bill Belichick won 2021 NFL Executive of the Year for taking the Patriots back to the playoffs after a one-year absence.
That was a bigger feat than the Bucs being the first team in the salary cap era (30 years) to return all 22 starters.
March 28th, 2022 at 4:27 pm
Calais Campbell. Why this hasn’t been discussed yet is beyond me.
March 28th, 2022 at 4:41 pm
@ Kalind
LOL
Just came here to say the same. Why not CC for one year and we can draft another in round 1 or 2.
Draft should be BPA – OG, RB, WR, S, CB, EDGE, IDL – We are going to have a ton of free agent DBs next year. Sure would be nice to get both a solid CB and S in this draft.
March 28th, 2022 at 5:17 pm
I don’t want to get in the need versus BPA ilk, but if a Wirfs or Winfield type player falls to us we gotta trust the FO.
That said, DL,TE, OL please.
Oh, Suh js a Buc at heart now. He’ll get a fair offer. Bet he stays. Most players really like living and working here.
Fatherhood does change your perspective on many things though. So Suh picking up a short term deal in someplace like Chicago can’t make make sense.
March 28th, 2022 at 5:31 pm
Yeah, Cobraboy, a very loose interpretation of the word “mercenary” by many.’ I tell y’all Suh will become a billinaire after he is through with football. He is that bright. He is still enjoying playing at a top level. Just like that other “old guy”, one TB.
March 28th, 2022 at 5:33 pm
billionaire! @#+$%& fingers
March 28th, 2022 at 5:52 pm
Draft the best dt, pass rusher, or corner available when it’s our turn in the first three rounds.
@Kalind is right about Calais too. Why not work Mike Greenberg into the ground trying to find a way to fit Suh and Calais under the cap?
March 28th, 2022 at 6:02 pm
Oh No, they say hes got to go
Gronkzilla
March 28th, 2022 at 6:15 pm
I don’t know if it will be a DT or edge rusher, I’m good with either, but the first 3 rounds in no particular order, according to my awesome analysis,
DLine
DB
RB (definitely not round 1)
March 28th, 2022 at 9:13 pm
They must stockpile pass rushers, DT and edge. Infuse nastiness and youth. Suh is going to be another year older, and he’s fine if he can be had at a reasonable price, but the need is for many more bodies than that.
Free agency list is dwindling quickly.
March 28th, 2022 at 9:38 pm
trade down from the first to mid 2nd and grab Logan Hall….he’s not the fastest but he’s long at 6’6 and has a motor. I see a future star in him for some reason.
March 28th, 2022 at 10:30 pm
Every single draft an O & D lineman should be taken. Always.
March 28th, 2022 at 10:30 pm
Wow. Thank God Sasquatch is here to correct grammar. 🙄
March 28th, 2022 at 11:34 pm
You’re welcome. Or should I say “your welcome”? 🤣
March 29th, 2022 at 11:24 am
Bring Suh back. Let’s try to get the Bucs another championship. All hail the GOAT. Go Bucs. Go Canes.