Ndamukong Suh showed last year he was fine waiting well into a season before signing with a team. The Eagles added Suh in November 2022 and used him for the rest of the season. Suh expressed interest in playing a 14th NFL season and one of his former teams is interested in taking him up on it.
The Dolphins brought in Suh for a free agency visit Wednesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com relays. Suh played for the Dolphins from 2015-17, coming to Miami after the team authorized a then-defender-record contract during the 2015 free-agency period. Miami has also been busy in adding pieces up front this year, recently signing Jason Pierre-Paul off New Orleans’ practice squad and bringing back Melvin Ingram. While the Dolphins waived JPP on Tuesday, Ingram is readying for a return.
Moving Suh’s $19M-per-year contract off the payroll in 2018, the Dolphins have changed power structures since. Chris Grier is in place as the top decision-maker, while the team has twice changed HCs (from Adam Gase to Brian Flores to Mike McDaniel) since Suh’s time in Miami. Suh, however, does have extensive experience in a 3-4 defense from his time with the Rams and Buccaneers. That would help regarding a fit with new DC Vic Fangio.
Named to the 2010s’ All-Decade team, Suh is past his prime. But the former No. 2 overall pick has been one of the most durable defenders in NFL history. Suh has never missed a game due to injury, playing in 199. Last season marked Suh’s first stretch as a backup, with the Eagles bringing him in as a midseason reinforcement during a Jordan Davis IR stay. Suh played in eight regular-season games and all three postseason contests for the NFC champions, logging a 35% snap rate.
Suh made the Pro Bowl and picked up his fifth All-Pro nod in 2016. After teaming with Aaron Donald to help the Rams reach Super Bowl LIII, Suh worked alongside Pierre-Paul and Shaquil Barrett to produce a Buccaneers Super Bowl win two years later. The Bucs did not re-sign Suh last year and he waited until November. Suh spoke with the Ravens earlier this year about a deal and was not concerned about waiting well into the season to catch on somewhere.
Christian Wilkins spearheads the Dolphins’ defensive line, while the recently extended Zach Sieler operates as a quality sidekick. Raekwon Davis sits as Miami’s third D-line starter. Although the team lost edge rusher Jaelan Phillips last month, it still has the services of its top interior D-linemen.
The 49ers pursued Suh along with the Eagles last year. Although the NFC-leading team played Week 15 without starting D-tackles Arik Armstead and Javon Hargrave, Kyle Shanahan said this week the team had not discussed anything with Suh. With three weeks left in the regular season, time is running out for Suh to find a home and attempt an acclimation effort before the playoffs. But the menacing DT probably still represents an interesting piece for a contender to add ahead of a Super Bowl push.
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