The Patriots have been relatively quiet at the start of free agency. Although the team will undoubtedly make a series of moves at some point, it remains to be seen if they’ll make a big splash this offseason.
Depending on whom you talk to, that could change very quickly.
According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots are expected to be interested in All-Pro defensive tackle and NFL bad boy Ndamukong Suh.
"There’s no way we can [...]
The Patriots have been relatively quiet at the start of free agency. Although the team will undoubtedly make a series of moves at some point, it remains to be seen if they’ll make a big splash this offseason.
Depending on whom you talk to, that could change very quickly.
According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots are expected to be interested in All-Pro defensive tackle and NFL bad boy Ndamukong Suh.
“There’s no way we can possibly talk about a veteran, big-name player at the end of his career without talking about the Patriots. So of course, the Patriots will be in the mix as well,” Rapoport said. “He’s not for everyone, but he’s still a very, very, very good player.”
Released by the Miami Dolphins on Wednesday, Suh, 31, has reportedly already visited with the Seattle Seahawks. The New Orleans Saints will also reportedly host Suh for a visit. The 5-time Pro Bowler and 5-time All-Pro defensive linemen has long been one of the best defensive players in the NFL, but there have also been some issues.
Suh has been fined several times by the NFL for his aggressive style of player. He was once also voted as the NFL’s dirtiest player. After playing against the Patriots in the 2016 season, LeGarrette Blount said of Suh, “"He's a dirty player. He's always been a dirty player. He's gonna always be a dirty player.” The Dolphins reportedly released him in an effort to change the culture in their locker room.
In eight NFL seasons, Suh has 51.5 sacks. He has started every game in his career. Last season, he finished with 48 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Whether or not he’d take less money to go to a contender like the Patriots is up for debate. There was a report on Wednesday that said Suh was looking to go to the highest bidder.
In the event the Patriots do land Suh, that would be a big splash. It would give the Pats a talented interior pass rusher. Whether or not that’s the Patriots biggest need, however, is up for debate. The Pats traded for defensive tackle Danny Shelton last week. They also have Malcom Brown, Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler and Vincent Valentine.