In rather swiftly developing news, the Eagles are loading up on their defensive front. Minutes after news emerged indicating the NFC East leaders were in talks with Ndamukong Suh, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports the parties have a deal in place (Twitter link). The Eagles have announced the agreement.
This is a one-year deal for Suh, who has been a free agent since his Buccaneers contract expired in March. The Eagles have now added Suh and Linval Joseph to their interior D-line corps over the past two days. Suh placed the Eagles atop his destination list recently, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets, and the 8-1 team will pounce to add one of the most durable players in NFL history.
It is not exactly common for players of Suh’s caliber to sit in free agency until mid-November, but the former No. 2 overall pick saw the Bucs move on without him this offseason.. Both the Raiders and Browns were linked to Suh, but subsequent reports did well to shoot down those teams’ interest. After an unusual year for the All-Decade-teamer, he will land with a Super Bowl contender armed with one of the deeper D-lines you’ll see.
Suh is now 35, and he has drifted off the Pro Bowl level. While the former Lions All-Pro has not been honored with a Pro Bowl nod since his second Dolphins season (2016), he has continued to produce. The five-time Pro Bowler played a key role for the Bucs’ Super Bowl LV-winning team two seasons ago and is coming off back-to-back six-sack seasons.
The inside pass rusher totaled 1.5 sacks during Tampa Bay’s 2020 postseason run, joining teammates Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul in hounding Patrick Mahomes during that home-site romp. In his most recent game — a divisional-round clash with the Rams — Suh hit Matthew Stafford four times and forced a fumble to help the Bucs erase a 24-point deficit. For his career, Suh has 70.5 sacks and 130 tackles for loss.
During his prime, the menacing defender posed as one of the most difficult blocking assignments of this era. While the former Lions, Dolphins, Rams and Bucs lineman is a bit past that point in his career, he has displayed incredible durability for his lot of employers. Suh has started 191 career games and has never missed one due to injury. In Suh and Joseph, 34, the Eagles now have two of the most experienced D-tackles in NFL annals. Joseph ranks in the top 30 all time for starts (162) by a defensive tackle; Suh’s start total slots 24th in NFL history for all D-linemen.
The Eagles’ defensive line corps now houses an astonishing number of accomplished veterans. Philly rosters Brandon Graham, Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat and Robert Quinn on the edge and now has Suh, Joseph, Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave inside. (Derek Barnett is also on Philadelphia’s payroll, but the former first-round D-end is out for the season.) This gives DC Jonathan Gannon considerable options, even without first-rounder Jordan Davis available.
Davis’ return will give the Birds one of the highest-profile D-tackle crews in modern NFL history. Of course, this could also be classified as an aging D-line. Five of members of this reconfigured front are at least 31, but Suh and Joseph will give the Eagles a chance to rotate more up front. Cox played 70 snaps against the Commanders on Monday.
Joseph and Suh will join an Eagles team that has seen its run defense slip in recent weeks. Davis’ absence has hurt Philly’s capabilities in this area. The Texans totaled 168 rushing yards in Week 9, while the Commanders racked up 152 — on a whopping 49 carries — on Monday. It will be interesting to see how quickly both newcomers will be ready to suit up. Davis cannot return until Week 13.
Solid signing, will help with that rotation on the d-line since the Jordan Davis injury.
Wow, Howie is jumping on it. Hopefully these new (older) guys still have some juice.
Speaking of juice, the Eagles might consider switching from Gatorade to Ensure.
Many of these guys will be gone next year. This is short term stop gap fix to go for broke this season. Next year the Eagles will have 2 first round picks including a probable top 10 pick and the following season a first and two second rounders app they should be able to reload quickly.
Unless of course Howie figures out another way to screw someone in a trade…
This is exactly what the Chargers should have done. It’s possible that they tried to, but Suh and Joseph wanted to play for the 8-1 team with a great shot at a first round bye and home field advantage in the playoffs.
This is a good move by the Eagles and by Suh. Spending money now to try lock down the dream of at least a conference regular season championship makes sense for both sides.
It makes me laugh watching 4-3 teams trade away first round draft picks before the trade deadline to attempt to gamble on a wild card spot.
Suh signed with a team in a state that has income tax, so you know they’re a serious contender.
as an EAGLE FAN I PUMPED!!
Roseman has really loaded up this year, which is what he also did just prior to the Super Bowl win. Not comparing this team directly with that one, but Roseman every few years seems to do what the Rams and Bucs did without wasting all of his draft picks.
This is what the Niners should have done seeing as how Armstead may never play again
Suh is done. Old and slow.
You see him play? Look at his numbers from last year
Its official. We’re gonna stomp the competition for the rest of the season now.
Houston and Washington gave every team in the league a blueprint for beating the Eagles – i.e., run the ball and take time off the clock.
That would be why the Eagles have brought in a run stopper named Suh.
Suh is gonna put his foot down on those offensive linemen!
Fresh physically, should wreak havoc. Hope he is close to game ready condition; but not a crisis if he needs a week or 2 of contact action in practice to get there.
How cowardly for NFLTR to block comments on the Irsay, minority interview BS story they posted. That story would have been ratioed so hard. More diversity hire for the Tyrone’s LOOOOOOL XD
What’s worse is all the “get rich quick” scam posts coming from bots — wouldn’t be surprised if they were all from Russia.
Aww, poor little racist really wanted to spew some racism but mean old “NFLTR” wouldn’t let him…
Those meanies made him sad.
Eliminating discussion is much worse than anything that would have been said about it.
Neither “NFLTR” (or anyone else) is obligated to provide a soapbox to anyone who demands one.
They are free to build their own and rant away.
No one owes them one.
Elon cleaning Twitter up they can’t do it there no more lol
The passengers are less rowdy after the plane crashes, this is true.
the Rooney rule DOES NOT INCLUDE ON-SEASON HIRES LONG AS THEY ARE ONLY NAMED INTERM HEAD COACH!!!Spew that b.s. crap somewhere else! I’m getting sick and tired of this b/c of the color of skin. The true racist is the one that DEMANDS EVERYTHING BE SKEWED TO ONE RACE FOR WHATEVER REASON. Take a look in the mirror and you will see the TRUE RACIST
No the rules before you start crying
Thought the Niners might take a flier on him. A lot of DL injuries. Nice signing. Especially this late in the season.
Were all white candidates given a tryout? Or is that just for coaches?