Bucs free agent move could bring Ndamukong Suh to Seahawks

The Seahawks can always use another solid player on the defensive line. A move by the Buccaneers may deliver just that kind of player to the Hawks. That would be the addition of professional beast, Ndamukong Suh.

The Buccaneers made some noise when they signed free agent Akeim Hicks. So how does this impact our beloved Seahawks? Well, Tampa Bay did have a pretty good defensive tackle on their roster, and now he’s expendable. Ndamukong Suh was already a free agent in Tampa Bay and now there’s zero chance of him staying there.

There had already been some noise about Suh coming to the Seahawks. Reportedly, Suh was interested in coming to Seattle as long ago as 2015. As you probably know, he joined the Dolphins instead, then spent a year with the Rams before his three-year stint with the Bucs. With the Hicks signing, Suh needs a new home. How well does Seattle fit the bill?

Suh a good fit for Seahawks at the right price

Ndamukong Suh isn’t quite the force of nature he once was. There’s no disputing that. He hasn’t posted 20 quarterback hits since 2015. the last time he was in double digits in tackles for a loss was in 2016. That’s also the last time he made the Pro Bowl. So the guy’s washed up, right? I mean Tampa Bay did sign Hicks to replace him after all.

Here’s the thing, 12s. Suh may be performing at 75 or 80 percent of his Pro Boel level, but he’s still an excellent player. He posted six sacks in back-to-back seasons, racked up a total of 32 QB hits, and totaled 16 tackles for a loss in the last two years. The last time he missed a game was in 2011.

For some perspective, Poona Ford, a full-grown man entering his fifth year in the NFL, was a sophomore in high school the last time Suh had to sit out a game. I love Ford, but the Seahawks have been in need of another beastly DT for quite a while.

Suh may have some years on him, but he’s held up remarkably well. That’s probably because he dishes out much more punishment than he takes. This brings up The Issue. I have said many, many times there is no way I’d ever want Ndamukong Suh on my team. He had been the poster child for dirty play throughout his career with the Lions and then the Dolphins. After being flagged 37 times in three seasons in Miami, Suh cut his penalties to just 17 in the same timeframe in Tampa. Apparently, the monster has finally mellowed a bit.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that Suh has shown a lot of interest in coming home to the Great Northwest for years now. The last remaining issue in bringing him to Seattle is money. Isn’t it always about money, 12s? He signed a series of one-year contracts with the Bucs, so we can be certain he’d accept the same with the Hawks. Each of those featured at least $8 million in guarantees. He’d be a great fit for the Seahawks on the field. The only question that remains is if Seattle can fit him into their budget just as well.