Can Detroit Lions replace Ndamukong Suh?
Ndamukong Suh is the best defensive tackle in football. The Detroit Lions suffered a major blow when Suh signed a six-year, $114 million deal with the Miami Dolphins and left the Lions with a 305-pound sized hole in their defensive line. Can the Lions maintain a dominant defense in 2015 without him?
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Suh was the anchor of the number-one ranked defense in 2014 with his ability to shed blocks, beat double teams and use his power to find the quarterback.
Just how dominant was he last year?
According to ESPN Stats & Info, the Lions allowed an average of 2.95 yards when opponents rushed on first down with Suh on the field. Without him, they gave up 4.59 yards per rush. That is a mind-blowing statistic.
Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the Lions will also be parting ways with fellow defensive tackle Nick Fairley.
"“The Detroit Lions are moving on from Nick Fairley.The Lions have told multiple people that they are no longer interested in re-signing Fairley, whose injury and weight issues have been a concern for years.”"
So, what’s next?
Moves the Lions Have Made
Aug 22, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (92) gets introduced prior to the game against the Carolina Panthers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
The Lions wasted little time in finding players from elsewhere to bolster the depleted defensive line. Within minutes of the free agency window opening, it was a blockbuster trade that sent shockwaves through Detroit.
It’s mid-rounders from the #Lions to the #Ravens in exchange for Haloti Ngata
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2015
Ngata was set to account for $16 million of the Ravens 2015 cap, and they were desperate to either negotiate a new deal or offload him. It turned out to be the latter, and the Ravens’ loss was the Lions’ gain.
While he’s not Suh, the 31-year-old is still a dominant force on the defensive line. He finished his nine seasons in Baltimore with 445 tackles, 25.5 sacks, 30 pass defenses and 29 stuffs. While he won’t produce like Suh did, Ngata will soften the blow of his departure.
On Thursday, the Lions signed former New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker. Walker played in all 16 games for the Saints last year, making one start. He recorded 19 combined tackles and 2.5 sacks.
The Lions needed depth, and Walker provides that. Whether or not he will have an opportunity to start in Week 1 is yet to be seen, but it’s a nice pickup nonetheless.
Moves the Lions Should Make
Oct 18, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Everett Golson (5) is sacked by Florida State Seminoles defensive tackle Eddie Goldman (90) during the first half at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
The Lions currently own the 23rd-overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. With this pick, they may be able to find themselves a talent such as Florida State’s Eddie Goldman.
Goldman would be a great fit for the Lions as he is dominant in stopping the run. He is a powerful player and has a quick burst off the snap.
Assuming the Lions don’t make the switch to a 3-4 defense, pairing Goldman with Ngata could be a dangerous threat that could provide much of the same quality Suh and Fairley (and C.J. Mosley while Fairley was injured) were able to produce last season.
| Tackles | Fumbles | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | FF |
| *2012 | Florida State | DL | 4 | 4 | 8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0 | |
| 2013 | Florida State | DL | 13 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0 |
| 2014 | Florida State | DL | 14 | 19 | 16 | 35 | 8.0 | 4.0 | 1 |
| Career | Florida State | 31 | 31 | 62 | 12.0 | 6.0 | 1 |
Provided by Sports-Reference.com/CFB: View Original Table
Generated 3/13/2015.
If they opt to select a defensive tackle later on, they could find value in the likes of Iowa’s Carl Davis and Ohio State’s Michael Bennett. Both would be ready to start in the NFL and are excellent at run-stuffing. Lining up next to the experience of Ngata, Jason Jones and the emerging Ziggy Ansah, they would slot into a strong line and have every chance of dominating.
The Lions won’t be able to ‘replace’ Suh, but they can maintain a top-tier defense without his presence. The addition of Ngata was a shrewd piece of business, but it’s only the beginning.
Complementing Ngata with a talented draft pick in the early rounds could set the Lions up to once again boast a top-five run defense in the NFL next season.
Next: Detroit Lions 5 Burning Questions
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