Ndamukong Suh Would Be a Game Changer for the Oakland Raiders
By Kevin Saito
Not very often, but once in a while, the stars align in such a way that glaring needs meet opportunity. It hasn’t happened for the Oakland Raiders for quite some time, but this offseason, those stars seem to be getting themselves into the perfect alignment. And the result, if GM Reggie McKenzie is willing to pull the trigger, could be a game changer for the Raiders.
With Ndamukong Suh set to hit the free agent market, there is no doubt that teams around the league will be clamoring for his services. Every team thinks they’ve got a shot at landing him, but in truth, only a handful of teams have a legitimate shot. Given the fact that he’s on record as saying that his agent will be choosing his next team – meaning, the team that ponies up the most cash for his services – most teams around the league simply don’t have the money it will take.
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But with more than $50,000,000 to spend this offseason, the Raiders are one of those few teams.
Aside from perhaps JJ Watt of the Houston Texans, there is no bigger disruptive force on the defensive side of the football in the NFL. And he’s just the type of disruptive force the Raiders have been missing for so long, and so desperately need.
With a total of just 22 sacks last season, it’s safe to say that the Raiders’ pass rush was well beyond anemic. Justin Tuck was the team leader, chipping in a paltry five sacks, while rookie standout Khalil Mack added four of his own. The Oakland defense was constantly picked apart by second tier quarterbacks like Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick, in large part because they could not generate any sustained pressure. Opposing QB’s had just about all day to sit back in the pocket and pick their spots.
Not only did defense get picked apart through the air, they were gashed by a succession of running backs. Oakland’s defense gave up nearly 2,000 yards on the ground – an average of just about 125 yards per game. A big body like Suh would not only have to be accounted for on passing downs, but he would fill up the gaps on running downs as well.
With Suh wearing Silver and Black, the Raiders could say that they boast a legitimate pass rush, one that can disrupt games, and even steal a win now and then. Not only that, his presence, and the havoc he wreaks would help ease the burden on a young secondary that has shown flashes of how good they can be, but is still developing.
With a defensive minded coach like Jack Del Rio, bringing Suh on board would be a dream come true. When teamed up with the likes of Khalil Mack, Sio Moore, Justin Ellis, Travis Carrie, Charles Woodson and even Justin Tuck, Oakland’s defense gets a lot more formidable.
Of course, adding a player like Suh, though adding tremendous benefit to a defense, comes with some glaring liabilities as well. Most notably, his penchant for drawing penalties, fines, and even suspensions for his habit of stomping on other players. There are also his mood swings that sometimes go from petulant to downright surly at times.
But if you can add a player like Suh, the good far outweighs the bad, the benefits far exceed the risk. Not only would Suh produce on the field immediately, he will help the development of Oakland’s younger defensive stars. The chance to learn from not only a Hall of Famer like Charles Woodson, but one of the best players in the game in Suh will undoubtedly elevate their play.
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Noted skinflint Reggie McKenzie isn’t known for being one willing to open the purse strings to lavish outrageous contracts on players. You could say that he’s a bargain shopper. With Tampa Bay Buccaneer Gerald McCoy signing a $95 million dollar deal, we can expect Suh’s price tag to top $100 million, for sure. If you listen closely, you can probably hear McKenzie nearly hyperventilating at the mere mention of that amount of money.
But it’s not every day you can find a player like Ndamukong Suh on the open market. And when you do, you have to snap him up as quickly as you can if. He’s a game changer. HC Del Rio is looking to instill some attitude, nastiness, and swagger back into the Oakland Raiders, and the quickest way to do it is to add a player like Suh.
Luring Suh to the Black Hole with piles of cash makes tremendous sense. And if Reggie wants to continue building toward relevancy and beyond, it starts with defense. It starts with a player like Ndamukong Suh.