Getty Eagles general manager Howie Roseman.
The Philadelphia Eagles are loading up for what they hope will be a Super Bowl run, and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is going to have a glut of riches on the defense line. The Eagles have signed free agent defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports had already reported that they were in talks.
The move comes the day after the Eagles added two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Linval Joseph on a one-year deal of his own, but the move didn’t come out of nowhere according to Heavy NFL insider Matt Lombardo, who reported that the Birds had been involved around the edges with Suh for some time.
The moves appear to be intended to bolster the Eagles weakness with their rushing defense, which ranked 25th in the NFL giving up 4.74 yards per rush, according to the NFL Game Statistics and Information System. The Birds gave up more than 150 rushing yards in back to back games against the Houston Texans and Washington Commanders.
Eagles Old Scouting Report on Suh Calls Him ‘Nasty’ and ‘Dominant’
While it’s dated, it’s worth noting that one of the top search results for scouting reports on Ndamukong Suh is on the Eagles official site. The Eagles’ scouting report from Suh’s draft year calls him a, “Large, strong, dominant defensive lineman who impacts the game in a variety of ways.”
They go on to describe the way he plays. “Has a nasty attitude and aggressively hunts ball handlers down. Relatively instinctive, quick locating the ball, and slides off blocks laterally to make plays against the run,” the scouting report reads.
Eagles have agreed to terms with DT Ndamukong Suh on a one-year deal.
Those words ring true looking back from the backside of Suh‘s career. The 313-pound interior lineman has 590 tackles, 130 tackles for a loss, and 70.5 sacks in 191 games across 12 seasons for the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He most recently played for the Bucs last year, totaling six sacks and 27 tackles in a complete season. Suh racked up seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
Ndamukong Suh’s Primary Motivation is Adding Another Super Bowl Ring
When signing an aging veteran, especially this late into the season, their motivation is important. Are they just trying to cash one last check, or are they chasing something more meaningful? In Suh’s case, reporting indicates that he’s not after the money, but rather the glory.
Lombardo reported earlier this season that Suh was considering a comeback, but only if he could play for a team that had a chance to win the Super Bowl.
Ndamukong Suh is weighing a possible comeback, according to multiple league sources, for the right situation to chase another Super Bowl ring.
A look at Suh’s best fits | @HeavyOnSports
In late September, Lombardo wrote that, “Multiple league sources suggest to Heavy Sports that Suh, 35, would be open to considering a return to a situation where he can compete for a second Super Bowl ring.”
Suh won his first ring in 2020 with Tampa Bay. As previously discussed when Suh’s name was first floated with the Eagles, he graded out reasonably well last year and remained productive despite being 34 years old. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman will be hoping the now 35-year-old has one more run in him.