Dec 21, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Lions defeated the Bears 20-14. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
For the Detroit Lions, this is one tense week. Will Ndamukong Suh re-sign? Will he walk? Whatever happens, they need to be prepared.
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According to Over The Cap, the Lions currently have $18.34 million available in cap space. Without any other roster cuts or restructured deals, they won’t have much else to work with should Suh re-sign.
The likelihood is if he stays in Detroit, a number of the Lions’ other pending free agents will leave. That list includes defensive tackles Nick Fairley and C.J. Mosley, defensive end George Johnson and cornerback Rashean Mathis.
Their futures hinge on the outcome of the Suh negotiations. With that said, the Lions will want to know by March 10 whether he is staying or leaving, or else they could run the risk of losing a number of them.
So, what happens if he leaves? What offseason moves should the Lions make?
Next: Damage limitation of the defensive line
Dec 22, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley (98) celebrates after making a play during the fourth quarter against the New York Giants at Ford Field. Giants beat the Lions 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Bring back Nick Fairley
If Suh leaves Detroit, one player they simply can’t let slip away is fellow defensive tackle Nick Fairley. The two are so important to the Lions defense.
2014 was a tough year for Fairley; he was injured in the Week 8 trip to London versus the Atlanta Falcons. The injury was so serious that he didn’t return for the rest of the season.
Lost in all of the Ndamukong Suh contract talks is that the Lions may also lose another pretty damn good DT in Nick Fairley.
— Pete Damilatis (@PeteDamilatis) February 18, 2015
Providing he’s healthy, he has the tools to dominate on the defensive line. Fairley finished 2013 with his career-best numbers, combining for 35 tackles, six sacks and a forced fumble from his 15 games.
Last May, the Lions opted not to pick up his fifth-year option, meaning he would become a free agent in 2015. The reason behind this was due to questions over his attitude and motivation. He was subsequently benched in the preseason and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin believes the move helped Fairley ‘turn a corner’, according to the official Detroit Lions website:
"“He kept himself in good shape. He kept his weight down, he worked really hard and if we were fortunate enough to win at Dallas he would have been ready to play a little bit in the next game and so that shows me that he’s turned the corner,” Austin told DetroitLions.com. “I mean I really like Nick and I like Nick as a player,” Austin said. “I think he’s a really good player. But I think he did, I think he turned a corner.”"
Fairley is only 27-years-old so he has plenty left in the tank. If he can stay healthy, the continuity at the position will be so important to the team. Not only that, Fairley’s price tag will be considerably lower than that of Suh’s.
They would be wise to try and negotiate a deal with veteran C.J. Mosley too. Mosley has been in the league for ten years and with the Lions for the past two. His experience was crucial last term when Fairley missed time; Mosley stepped up and contributed to the number-one rush defense.
If Suh walks, the Lions simply can’t allow Fairley to leave, and it would be a blow to lose Mosley too. If all three were to leave town, the hopes of a deep playoff run could exit through the same door.
Nick Fairley Career Stats
| Games | Def Interceptions | Fumbles | Sacks & Tackles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | G | GS | Sk | Int | Yds | PD | FF | Fmb | FR | Yds | TD | Tkl | Ast | Sfty | AV |
| 2011 | 23 | DET | 10 | 0 | 1.0 | 9 | 6 | 1 | |||||||||
| 2012 | 24 | DET | 13 | 7 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2013 | 25 | DET | 15 | 15 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 22 | 13 | 1 | 8 |
| 2014 | 26 | DET | 8 | 8 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 4 | ||||
| Career | 46 | 30 | 13.5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 66 | 32 | 1 | 17 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/6/2015.
Next: A look at a 2016 free agent
Dec 22, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions outside linebacker DeAndre Levy (54) celebrates after making a play during the second quarter against the New York Giants at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Extend DeAndre Levy’s Contract
While the attention is rightfully on the 2014 free agent class, general manager Martin Mayhew shouldn’t forget about the players heading for a contract year in 2015. Top of that list: Linebacker DeAndre Levy.
Levy is another major piece to the Lions’ defense, and he is coming off the back of an excellent 2014 season. He combined for 151 tackles and 2.5 sacks–both career-bests. Levy also registered five pass defenses, 15 stuffs and an interception.
Per Justin Rogers of MLive, Lions general manager Martin Mayhew met with Levy’s agent at February’s NFL Scouting Combine to discuss the potential of an extension.
"“I’m not opposed to it. I obviously want him to be here a long time, but, you know, we obviously have some other big fish in the pan right now,” Mayhew said."
The Lions may have ‘other big fish in the pan’, but if they don’t learn from their mistakes of not re-signing Suh early, this particular fish may swim away.
It’s not just Levy’s ability to make plays that makes him so important; he is a leader of the defense, and he truly plays like one. According to Detroit News, Levy played in every single defensive snap for the Lions in 2014.
Joique Bell asked to name the leader of the Lions. He says DeAndre Levy.
— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) February 6, 2015
If the Lions have learnt anything from the decision to extend Suh’s contract early, it should be to not make the same mistake with Levy. Take care of the 2015 free agents first, but the attention has to then turn immediately to ensuring Levy remains a Lion. Should Suh walk, this has to be one of the top priorities for Mayhew.
DeAndre Levy Career Stats
| Games | Def Interceptions | Fumbles | Sacks & Tackles | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | G | GS | Sk | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | Fmb | FR | Yds | Tkl | Ast | Sfty | AV |
| 2009 | 22 | DET | 16 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 54 | 24 | 4 | ||
| 2010 | 23 | DET | 11 | 11 | 2 | 41 | 1 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 50 | 22 | 6 | ||
| 2011 | 24 | DET | 16 | 16 | 1.0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 36 | 8 | |
| 2012 | 25 | DET | 14 | 13 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 55 | 25 | 6 | ||
| 2013 | 26 | DET | 16 | 16 | 6 | 76 | 1 | 66 | 15 | 85 | 32 | 9 | ||||||
| 2014 | 27 | DET | 16 | 16 | 2.5 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 5 | 121 | 34 | 1 | 14 | ||||
| Career | 89 | 82 | 3.5 | 12 | 141 | 2 | 66 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 438 | 173 | 1 | 47 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/6/2015.
Next: Make a splash
Aug 22, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane (20) and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell (41) celebrate after Maxwell broke up a pass play during the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
Target Byron Maxwell
If Ndamukong Suh leaves town, the Lions should use some of the saved money to try and lure in cornerback Byron Maxwell. Will Maxwell follow in Golden Tate’s footsteps and swap Seattle for Detroit?
Dec 21, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell (41) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Seahawks defeated the Cardinals 35-6. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Lions need to improve their secondary for the pass defense to catch up with the dominant run-stopping up front. Without a particularly deep class of cornerbacks in this year’s draft, they should target a player like Maxwell.
Maxwell had the best season of his career in 2014, which bodes well for him as he looks for a bigger contract. He finished 2014 with 39 combined tackles, 12 pass defenses and two interceptions.
Even without re-signing Suh, the Lions won’t exactly have a ton of cap space at their disposal, but they could still afford to make a splash on the corner.
The concern for the Lions is that there will be a lot of struggling teams with a lot of money to spend and they will potentially be happy to overspend on Maxwell.
Other free agents at the position the Lions could consider include San Diego’s Brandon Flowers and Green Bay’s Tramon Williams.
| Games | Def Interceptions | Fumbles | Sacks & Tackles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | G | GS | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | Fmb | FR | Yds | TD | Tkl | Ast | AV |
| 2011 | 23 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 2012 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 1 |
| 2013 | 25 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 5 | 4 |
| 2014 | 26 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 23 | 0 | 21 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 5 | 5 |
| Career | 47 | 17 | 6 | 29 | 0 | 21 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 78 | 15 | 11 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/6/2015.
Next: Back to the defensive line
Nov 29, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Treon Harris (3) runs during the third quarter as Florida State Seminoles defensive tackle Eddie Goldman (90) chases at Doak Campbell Stadium. Florida State Seminoles defeated Florida Gators 24-19. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Draft a DT early
The Lions won’t be able to fix all of their issues in free agency, unfortunately. Replacing Suh won’t be easy. In fact, it’s probably impossible. But by re-signing Fairley and Mosley, they can turn their attention to a number of talented options in the draft who can become a future star in Teryl Austin’s defense.
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A player who could be available for them with the 23rd-overall pick is Florida State defensive tackle Eddie Goldman. Goldman’s ability to shed blocks and stuff the run would make him a suitable player for the system. There are question marks about his pass-rushing, but he can step right in and be a force in the run defense.
To bring in Goldman, it would almost certainly have to be with their first-round selection, and even then, it’s no guarantee he falls to them.
If the Lions opt to wait until the second-round, Ohio State’s Michael Bennett would be a good option. Bennett is a disruptive, smart player and would be an ideal fit for them.
Bennett: "They said I would fit in but they got to make sure that I'm going to be that guy who can replace an Ndamukong Suh or Nick Fairley"
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) February 21, 2015
If Suh leaves, the Lions will need to address the position in the draft. Fortunately, there a number of players that could be available to them in the first and second-rounds that have the potential to excel in the NFL.
Next: Fixing other needs
Dec 27, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Ameer Abdullah (8) runs for a touchdown as USC Trojans defensive tackle Cody Temple (98) and Cornhuskers offensive lineman Mike Moudy (74) look on during the third quarter in the 2014 Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Protect the cap and use the draft
If Suh does indeed leave, the worst move the Lions could possibly make would be to overspend on a number of ‘big name’ free agents. Of course, free agency provides a great opportunity to improve weaker areas of your roster, but it’s important not to break the bank.
Jan 4, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) in action against the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card Playoff Game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Doing so suggests panic, and can put the team in a ‘Super Bowl or bust’ scenario that doesn’t normally end well. Financially, it can be devastating down the line. Look no further than the New Orleans Saints.
The Saints sacrificed their future in order to give Drew Brees as talented a team as possible. Well, they’ve just received the bill and it’s expensive. They are currently $16.38 million over the cap, and that is after the release of Pierre Thomas.
The Lions have a healthy salary cap, so they don’t need to worry about that just yet. The temptation would be there, however, to bring in a number of expensive free agents to replace Suh. Finding the mix of re-signing their own key free agents and adding a couple from other teams is important, but the focus should be on finding future stars in the draft.
With or without Suh, the Lions have a talented roster. Losing him would be a major blow to the team, that’s unquestionable. But by making the right moves in free agency and through the draft, the Lions can limit the damage and grow as a football team as they look to earn consecutive playoff appearances for the first time since 1995.
Oh, and of course… there’s the possibility that Suh just re-signs…
Next: Detroit Lions: 3 First-Round Targets
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