Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has long been considered a slam dunk to change teams this offseason in free agency. The Lions would have to pay an unthinkable $26 million-plus if they slapped the dominant DT with the franchise tag, and Suh himself has been rumored to seeking the richest contract ever for a defensive player. All in all, the tea leaves were not projecting a happy outcome for Lions fans.
However, the tide seems to be shifting just a bit in recent days. Many NFL observers have chalked Detroit's public confidence about retaining Suh up to posturing for the fans. Yet it may be more than that.
"A league source indicated the #Lions are optimistic they'll be able to keep DT Ndamukong Suh in Detroit," Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports tweeted yesterday.
Why the sudden internal optimism? The Lions are slated to have roughly $15 million in salary cap room this offseason. However, that number can shoot up if Detroit rejiggers the contracts of veterans such as Jason Jones, Reggie Bush and others. Suh is likely seeking a contract in excess of $100 million, which will be tricky to fit in long-term, but not impossible.
While speculation has suggested that Suh yearns for a bigger market, some within the Lions organization are beginning to believe that a return to the team that drafted him second overall in 2010 might be the preferred option.
