Rams agree to terms with Ndamukong Suh on reported one-year, $14 million deal
One of the top remaining free agents is headed to one of the NFL's best defenses
Ndamukong Suh has reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Rams, the team announced.
#LARams Agree to Terms with Ndamukong Suh
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) March 26, 2018
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It's a one-year, $14 million deal, according ESPN's Adam Schefter, who adds that Suh took less to go to L.A. Suh now joins a defensive front that includes one of the NFL's best players, Aaron Donald, and a secondary that was bolstered in recent weeks by the additions of shutdown cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib.
The Jets made a late push to sign Suh but pulled their one-year offer after a deadline for an agreement passed without Suh even visiting the team. Before getting the Jets' offer, Suh reportedly had narrowed his choices down to three teams: the Titans, Saints and Rams. The Raiders also tried to get in the mix after planning a visit with Suh, but the trip was canceled last week before the 31-year-old made it to the Bay Area.
CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco has previously noted that a one-two punch of Suh and Donald is an undoubtedly terrifying prospect for the rest of the NFC West, but it's also redundant. There's also this: Does Suh fit into Wade Phillips' scheme? (The right answer is: Absolutely, because you find a way to make a player like Suh fit into whatever scheme you're running.)
The biggest issue doesn't have to so with Suh, however, but Donald, who didn't get a new contract last offseason. The hope is that he and the Rams can come to an agreement before the start of the 2018 campaign. If not -- and that's hard to fathom -- Donald would be one of the top names in free agency next March and will go from 39th in salary for defensive tackles ($2.5 million) to No. 1 (Fletcher Cox is set to earn $17.1 million in 2018).
For now, the Rams have only solidified their status as the favorites in the NFC West and a dark-horse candidate to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
Part of the reason the Rams have been so busy this offseason is because they have $31.3 million in salary-cap space, which is sixth-most in the league, according to Spotrac.
And part of the reason they have so much cap space: Jared Goff is midway through his rookie deal. This also explains why the team is stacking its roster -- after going 11-5 in coach Sean McVay's first season, they're ready for a Super Bowl run now; there is no waiting for Goff to grow into his role because he proved last season that he's a capable quarterback. And before the Rams have to sign him to an extension that will almost certainly cost $30 million a year, they're replicating what the Seahawks did early in Russell Wilson's tenure and what the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles are doing now.