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Baltimore Ravens should target Ndamukong Suh in Free Agency

By Richard Bradshaw

ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 03: Ndamukong Suh #93 of the Los Angeles Rams enters the field during warmups prior to Super Bowl LIII against the New England Patriots at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 03: Ndamukong Suh #93 of the Los Angeles Rams enters the field during warmups prior to Super Bowl LIII against the New England Patriots at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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The Baltimore Ravens defensive line is stout, but could certainly use some more juice. During Free Agency, the Ravens should take a look at Ndamukong Suh.

Say what you want about Ndamukong Suh as a person, but the dude is a baller on the football field. The former no.2 overall pick in 2010 has a reputation as a player with a high-motor and a mean streak (literally). Suh is certainly not someone offensive linemen like to match-up against.

For the Baltimore Ravens, the defensive line is stacked with Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce, but after them are a bunch of guys who either can’t stay healthy or prove their worth. With Williams at 3-Tech and Pierce at Nose Tackle, a spot is open for the team’s 5-Tech spot. Insert Ndamukong Suh.

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When Suh came to the NFL, it was expected that he would be a sack monster and wreck offensive lines single-handedly. As a rookie, this was true, as the former Nebraska Cornhusker notched a career-high 10.0 sacks. Unfortunately, this has been the only instance in his career in which he topped double-digit sacks. While sacks aren’t everything, it’s what teams have paid Suh to do, and he hasn’t been able to earn his keep.

Suh had 36 sacks in five-seasons with the Detroit Lions before leaving in 2015 for the Miami Dolphins, and later the Los Angeles Rams. In his four-years elsewhere, Suh has just 20 sacks. Clearly, he’s not the sack monster he was supposed to be, but he remains a dominant run defender with high-upside.

Yes, the Baltimore Ravens already have great run defenders on their defensive line, but they lack something that Ndamukong Suh would bring to them: ferocity. Adding Suh to the Ravens defensive line would give them an edge they haven’t seen in quite some time. Plus, unlike Williams and Pierce, we know that Suh can be a sack-daddy. The one weakness in Baltimore’s defense is getting sack production from its defensive line. Adding Suh could potentially solve that issue.

Adding a defensive linemen like Ndamukong Suh is certainly a luxury, but it’s one the Ravens could afford. Suh isn’t likely to cost north of $10 million, and Baltimore could likely land him on a one-year deal as a test-run. With the Ravens, Suh would be the team’s 5-Tech linemen. While he didn’t dominate at this spot with the Rams, Suh was still more-than effective at times.

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The Baltimore Ravens need to decide if they’re contending this year or if this will be a year they use to develop and compete. Adding Ndamukong Suh would put emphasis on the former, and put the Ravens in a position where they could let the AFC know they aren’t to be meddled with. The priority for Baltimore this off-season should be to resign their own free agents, but fitting Suh into their plans could be easier than we think, and give us a return investment bigger than what we expect.

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