It came as quite a shocker on Thursday when it was reported that the New York Jets were now plugging themselves in as a “serious” contender in the Ndamukong Suh sweepstakes.
According to Jordan Schultz, the Jets have put a deal on the table for Suh. It is reportedly the highest he has gotten, and may get this entire offseason.
Are the Jets Making a Mistake?
The thought of the Jets pursuing Suh comes as a surprise for a few reasons. Firstly, it goes against their mantra of a shift to a younger unit. Suh, who is 31, would become one of the oldest players on the roster if he does indeed sign.
It also raises eyebrows due to the fact that the Jets have been reluctant in dealing with players who have performance inconsistencies and off-the-field luggage. While Suh doesn’t necessarily fall into the latter, it is well known that his performance on the field has been roller coaster like. He is coming off a year where he posted a career-low in tackles. He also seemed to look unmotivated at times when the team needed him most.
While the Jets have plenty of salary cap space to sign Suh (about $20 million), it is a recurring stigma that Suh is not necessarily a team-first type player. The Jets have shown that they do not tolerate this player philosophy quite recently. Former defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson presented similar attributes, and the Jets ultimately cut ties with him due to laziness and unwillingness to compete.
How Could Suh Fit?
Despite the hovering negative stigmas that surround Suh, he is still a freakish athlete. At 31, many are likely questioning how much fuel he has left in the tank, and if the money will match performance.
And the Jets still do have a hole in their defensive line. The team is likely exploring all options to replace the trendy Wilkerson. As two different types of players, Wilkerson didn’t exactly play the same position as Suh. However, the Jets have reportedly informed Suh of how they would use him effectively, and he could cover up some deficiencies in the team’s 3-4 defensive scheme.
From 2013-14, Suh was one of the league’s best defensive linemen. He was a first-team All-Pro selection in both of those years. His unfathomable years in Detroit are well behind him. That being said, it also important to note that Suh has only missed two games throughout his eight-year career. The Jets are likely taking this into account and hoping that they can duplicate this consistency to on-field performance.
Just a few days ago, it was believed that Suh had narrowed his choices down to three teams: the Titans, Rams and Saints. The Jets have yet to have Suh in for a formal visit.
While the Jets aren’t exactly a Super Bowl caliber team at the moment, it will be interesting to see if Suh takes less money elsewhere. As an aging defensive lineman, it would make sense that Suh would want to go to a team where he has the best chance to win. Thoughts around the league are that Suh’s camp leaked the Jets apparent massive offer in lieu to get other teams to increase their bids.
Stay tuned for more on this situation.
– Kyle Hirshkind is the Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage Jets and covers the New York Jets. Like and follow on Follow @kylehirshkind//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Jets//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
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