The Las Vegas Raiders and Ndamukong Suh have been linked throughout this past offseason and well into the preseason. His name resurfaced as the Raiders’ interior defensive line struggled early on in the first two games. However, Johnathan Hankins and Bilal Nichols have returned. In turn, this begs the question of whether Las Vegas should still pony up and sign Suh.
Tashan Reed of The Athletic recently reported that the former All-Pro defensive tackle is looking for upwards of $9 million per year in compensation. The price is hefty. Even with Suh’s accomplishments, a team desperate enough would be paying for the player he once was. If it comes down to money, the Raiders could instead opt to sign Darius Philon. He himself recently said he’d be the better option for the Raiders, so there’s that.
Should the Raiders be looking at Ndamukong Suh or for a right tackle?
Of course, a name such as Suh will always generate interest. His name has been consistently linked to teams this offseason, including the Minnesota Vikings. Even though he’s now 35, Suh doesn’t need to settle for anything less, as Mike Florio recently pointed out. He’s still a game-changing talent in spurts. For the Raiders, he’d instantly bring a pass-rushing presence that’s sorely missing at the moment. Las Vegas has plenty of run stuffers. In fact, you could argue they have an elite run-stopping defense. Be that as it may, their pass rush inside leaves a lot to be desired, which will only make things harder for their edge rushers.
Florio also makes another solid point. Suh should be in no hurry to cave in and sign anywhere. Rather, by monitoring the league and seeing which defensive line gets hit with a major injury, he will be able to make his best bet. The Raiders desperately need help with the right side of the O-line. Spending this level of coin on a rotational defensive tackle just doesn’t make sense, at least not right now.
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*Top Photo: Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
