Suh to the Chargers?

[Boltx]

My main concern would be him doing something to cost us an important game. I've seen enough head-butts and ridiculous antics in playoff games that have hurt us before. That's even assuming we're really going after him.

As a player, he's one of the best in the game. He's a beast. Adds instant credibility to a weak spot on the team.

In reality I'd rather use the money to fill multiple other holes, but there's no denying the caliber of player he is.

[Fleet]

According to Yahoo's Charles Robinson, people around the league are talking about free agent Ndamukong Suh to the Dolphins "as if it already happened."
This seems like a rumor much more than a report, so approach it with some caution. Robinson says league sources are treating DeMarco Murray back to Dallas as if it's a done deal, as well, though Cowboys beat reporters dispute that idea. Either way, the Dolphins are the clear early frontrunners to land Suh. He wouldn't be able to sign with them until Tuesday. Keep in mind the Dolphins were also long seen as the favorites to sign Peyton Manning in 2012. And in the end, they didn't even come close.

[Guest]

One crazy thing I heard on NFL radio a while back was that Suh was going to let his agent pick his next team.

[Antonio's Gates]

One crazy thing I heard on NFL radio a while back was that Suh was going to let his agent pick his next team.

He's going to the highest bidder, like most players. I haven't heard many be so open about it though.

[bonehead]

Raider Nation is losing its mind thinking they are getting Suh

[Sec-E4]

Imagine the stats of every other defensive player going up...or atleast a lot of them. This would be a huge pick up

The Dolphins would be pretty lethal if they picked him up. They already have a nasty pass rush

This would be that identity player we've been wanting/talking about.

[Steve]

It all comes down to whether or not you think Suh will continue to play hard. In the past a lot of the highest paid, biggest bonus money guys checked out and didn't play hard anymore. It is even worse when you bring in a guy to a new city, and he has to establish himself after signing such a deal. At least if his old team signs him, he has some of his old habits and new teammates to fall back on, keep him in a similar fame of mind to when he was still playing for his new contract. But in a new city, having a new circle of friends doesn't exactly bring out the best in people.

The other issue is the D. He is probably not going to be anywhere near as productive in our 34 as he was in the 43. Lots of DL hate playing int he 34, because the emphasis is to protect the LB and let the LB make the plays. Suh likes being able to attack upfield and freelance. The D is designed to do that. Why would he want to come and play in our D where that isn't going to happen. So, either we change everything to the 43, or he has to agree to come and do a lot of dirty work and not. You can point to JJ Watt as a guy who is productive in the 34 as any one is in the 43, but he is the only one, and there are tons of FA, and 1st round draft picks who have failed miserably as NFL 34 DL when it looked like they would dominate. If you are expecting Suh to be the next JJ Watt, you are 99.9% likely to be wrong. And with what Suh is going to get paid, you almost have to count on us having to cut him in 2 or 3 years, even if he is one of the most productive 34 DL of all time. That is how high the expectations will be. Thousands of former DL have tried, only JJ Watt has succeeded.

[Fleet]

The way we are sitting cap wise over the next few years 2016 onward we dont have anyone thats contract is considered one to build around. When we extend Rivers he will be that guy on offense. But we can afford a huge contract on defense to build that side of the ball around. We probably let Liuget walk next year if we sign Suh.

My point is that we can pay Suh a lot of his guaranteed money in 2015/16 and still have massive cap space to build the roster long term. And if we give him 15 million this year and extend Rivers/Weddle we could end up with another 15 or so available. So its not like Suh keeps us from adding players.

Give him a similar deal to Watt but pay him 15 this year and 18 in 2016. Followed with 13/13mil in 2017/18. Thats all guaranteed money. He would have another 2 years on the contract at around 15 million per but with zero dead money if you cut him.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

If we are serious contenders for Suh I would think we have plans on how to use him and Pegano would be heavily involved.

[Steve]

I understand that, but again, how many potentially great DL where brought in to play in various 34 D and how many DC said it was a good idea and they could make it happen only to watch it blow up in their faces? You can say that we can tweek this and that, but people have done that and it has never worked. And I don't doubt that Pagano could come up with some new twist, but it probably won't work.

And we still don't have any edge rushers if Ingram and Attaochu aren't healthy all year. No matter how good you think Suh is, he can only play 1 spot on the DL at a time.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

Why Chargers are smart to pursue Suh
By Tom Krasovic 11:21a.m. Mar 7, 2015


If an NFL Media Insider report is true that the Chargers are preparing to making a run at Ndamukong Suh, congratulations are due Chargers owner Dean Spanos and General Manager Tom Telesco.

Suh is a franchise player on defense.

Pairing him with franchise quarterback Philip Rivers, who shares the same agent, would make the Chargers an instant contender to reach Super Bowl 50.

A bid for Suh, the NFL's best defensive tackle, also means the Chargers realize these are urgent times for them.

Spanos wants a football stadium in San Diego, with public money paying for most of it.

Voters are less likely to give him what he wants if the on-field results remain lukewarm. The Charges may need a Super Bowl run to get the $600 million, or more, they want from the public treasury.

When voters earmarked what turned out to be $300 million for a Padres ballpark in 1998, it was after the team won a franchise-best 98 games and ascended to its second World Series in 29 years. San Diegans were giddy. A Super Bowl run would make them giddier.

For football reasons as well, now is the time for the Chargers to go for it.

Several of their best performers are moving past the typical prime years. Rivers will be 34 next December, Eric Weddle just turned 30, Antonio Gates will be 35 in June and Danny Woodhead blew out 30 candles two months ago.

The top defender in the front-7, Corey Liuget, is entering his walk year. With Suh next to him, Liuget could go from solid to very good production.

Suh's presence also would improve the Chargers' chances of getting worthy returns on big investments to several linebackers. They plowed a $51.8 million contract into Donald Butler last March, two draft picks apiece into Manti Te'o and Jerry Attaochu and a first-round pick in Melvin Ingram, only to see all four yield spotty seasons in 2015.

Injuries sidetracked those four linebackers, but all four would welcome the chance to draft off Suh.

Suh changes an entire defense for the better. He's too powerful for one blocker and stout enough to occupy two blockers who weigh 300-plus pounds, enabling his linebackers to run unimpeded. He's also apt to whip a blocker or two fast enough to pressure the quarterback, creating incompletions and turnovers.

Up-the-middle pressure without blitzing is toxic for most offenses.

Of course other teams will offer huge sums to Suh, too.

Suh has said he will go where agent Jimmy Sexton decides, and Sexton is known to seek a contract that will beat the six-year, $100-million deal the Texans issued J.J. Watt last September. Watt's contract was a record for a defensive player for average annual value and guaranteed money of $51.9 million.

I wrote in January that it's unrealistic to expect the Chargers to sign Suh, because other teams have more cap space.

What's more, two potential bidders, Miami and Jacksonsville, can offer him considerably more take-home pay just by matching a California team's offer. That's because Florida (along with Arizona and Washington) doesn't have a state income tax, where California levies a 13 percent tax on top earners.

Still, it's worth a try.

NFL team have ways of coming up with money that's not easily seen in the cap numbers.

A mid-tier team in cap space for 2015, the Chargers trail only the Raiders for cap space in 2016.

It may take a guarantee of $60 million or more for the Chargers to match Suh's top offer. For a 28-year-old whose office is a muscle-bound mosh pit, that's a risky proposition, and free agent history is rife with splashy moves that left the paying team covered in mud.

But overpaying for greatness is difficult to do.

Darrelle Revis is to cornerback what Suh is to defensive tackle. Guaranteeing him $12 million for one season and allowing him the chance to be an unrestricted free agent in 2015, Bill Belichick brought Revis to the Patriots last year and went on to win the Super Bowl.

The Packers were a football outpost until Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf and Bill Walsh protege Mike Holmgren persuaded Reggie White -- for my money, the best NFL defensive end not named Deacon Jones -- to sign with them. Green Bay went on to perennial playoff contention, two Super Bowls and one Lombardi Trophy.

Having gone 0-for-49 in terms of Super Bowl victories, the Chargers should appreciate by now that scared money doesn't win

[Antonio's Gates]

This D isn't really a 3-4 anyway.