In the 2010 NFL Draft, Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy were drafted No. 2 and No. 3 overall. Now, Suh will be one step ahead of McCoy once again.
According to a source, Suh was intrigued by the idea of playing for the Buccaneers’ new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and his 3-4 scheme. The accomplished defensive lineman will sign a one-year deal, somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million.
McCoy, who was released by Tampa Bay on Monday, will be looking for a new home. Meanwhile, Suh takes his vacant spot down on the west coast of Florida. The move comes at an ideal time. Jason Pierre-Paul recently suffered a neck injury in a car accident that will likely keep him out for the season.
Defense With Potential
The signing of Suh is a fantastic move by the Bucs, who’ve had problems creating pressure up front since the early 2000s. Long gone are the days of Warren Sapp wreaking havoc up the middle while Simeon Rice brought the speed rush from the outside. With that pressure, Derrick Brooks and John Lynch played a glorified game of “kill the man with the ball.”
Suh represents something McCoy, and recent Bucs’ defenses, have unfortunately lacked – bully ball. This defense has key talent like Lavonte David, Vita Vea, Vernon Hargreaves, Carl Nassib and the recently drafted Devin White.
The potential is certainly there, but the right leadership hasn’t been in years previous. With Bowles solely focusing on the defense, this has the potential to be one of the most improved units in the entire NFL in the 2019 season.
Suh Has Been Durable
Only twice in nine seasons has Suh missed a game, and both of those in 2011 due to suspension. The five-time Pro Bowler has amassed 56 sacks, 166 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles, 107 tackles for loss and two first-team all-pro appearances.
McCoy, on the other hand, has missed 18 over the same span. But he only has 1.5 fewer sacks despite all of those missed games. It is worth noting, though, that Suh drew far more double-teams from opposing linemen.
All in all, Suh brings a toughness to Tampa Bay that hasn’t been there in ages. Not to mention valuable playoff experience that he gained by going to the Super Bowl last season with the Los Angeles Rams.
