Getty The Cowboys could pursue DT Ndamukong Suh.
The Dallas Cowboys are a potential landing spot for one of the most accomplished defensive players in the league today.
According to Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com, the Cowboys are a potential destination for five-time Pro Bowler Ndamukong Suh. Suh more recently spent the past three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning a Super Bowl while not missing a single game for Tampa Bay.
“Tashan Reed of The Athletic reports that the Raiders are interested in Ndamukong Suh, who is seeking $9 million per year,” says Rosenthal. “That number explains why the 35-year-old Suh is still a free agent despite showing he can still play as a Buc last year. If Suh is willing to take half that much, he should be with a team by Week 1. The Raiders, Browns and Cowboys all have too much cap space and could use a big body up front.”
Why the Cowboys Could Be Interested in Suh
The Cowboys could use an experienced big body up front for depth purposes. At the current moment, Dallas’ top interior linemen are Osa Odighizuwa and Neville Gallimore. Odighizuwa ranked as one of the worst interior linemen in the league last season, posting a 46.9 defensive grade, according to Pro Football Focus. That grade ranked him 89th among 108 qualifying linemen last season.
Meanwhile, Gallimore didn’t fare much better, posting a 49.8 defensive grade.
The Cowboys do possess an abundance of depth along the defensive line, with former second-round pick Trysten Hill and veteran Carlos Watkins as primary backups. However, none of the aforementioned players possess the resume or experience that Suh has.
The former No. 2 overall draft pick is a five-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro selection and was named to the 2010’s All-Decade Team. His 70.5 career sacks are the most among active interior linemen outside of Aaron Donald and Carlos Dunlap.
Suh is likely seeking $9 million per season because that matches the salary he earned in each of the last three seasons with the Buccaneers. The 35-year-old defensive tackle earned $9 million in 2021, $8 million in 2020 and $9.25 million during the 2019 season.
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Cowboys Named ‘Best’ Fit for Suh
This isn’t the first time the Cowboys have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Suh.
While Suh remains as durable as ever, it’s clear his production his declining with age. The veteran defensive tackle posted just 27 tackles and 13 quarterback hits last season. The number of total tackles represented a career-low while his quarterback hits were at its lowest since the 2017 season. However, he did continue to get to the passer at a steady rate, posting six sacks, the second-highest of any player on the Buccaneers.
NFL.com analyst Marc Ross mentioned the Cowboys as a “best” fit for Suh.
“The Cowboys have a lot of quick, undersized players on the defensive line, which is great for rushing the passer but not so great when trying to stop the run,” says Ross. “Dallas’ defense ranked 16th in the NFL against the run a year ago and hasn’t made any major changes this offseason, outside of spending a fifth-round pick on John Ridgeway. Neville Gallimore, 25, and Osa Odighizuwa, 23, are solid, but adding Suh to rotate in and help lead the young players is something the Cowboys should consider.”
If Suh is willing to lower his asking price — he’s an aging defensive tackle who would likely play a rotational role in Dallas — the Cowboys could be his next landing spot.