Detroit Lions won’t be Putting Franchise Tag on Suh
Dec 21, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Lions defeated the Bears 20-14. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
News broke that the Detroit Lions will not be putting the franchise tag on defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Detroit Lions senior writer Tim Twentyman broke the news on Twitter.
The #Lions will not place the franchise tag on DT Ndamukong Suh.
— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) March 2, 2015
RT @ttwentyman: The #Lions will not place the franchise tag on DT Ndamukong Suh. pic.twitter.com/jBB4U4ecam
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) March 2, 2015
The @Lions elect not to use franchise tag on @NdamukongSuh: http://t.co/95drXfkrdb pic.twitter.com/4Y5B0ZrKKB
— NFL (@NFL) March 2, 2015
What does this mean now for Suh and the Lions? Well it means that means that the team is seeming willing to work with him to give him a real contract. The Lions are the only ones allowed to talk to Suh until March 7th. Yet, when March 10th hits, he is allowed to be signed by any other team in the NFL.
Twentyman seems to think that Suh will test the free agency market
"That could still end up being Detroit, but Suh is likely going to test the free agent market and assess his value, and is expected to have plenty of suitors."
Not putting the franchise tag on Suh means that the Lions wouldn’t be paying the dominate defenseman $27 million dollars in the form of a one year contract. However now it puts the team into a “sign him long-term” mindset or they risk losing him to another team.
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However this could easily blow up for the Detroit Lions. There are teams out there that have the cap space and wanting to sign Suh. Putting the franchise tag on Suh would have at least kept him around one more season that you could have spent time working on a new contract. If anything like I said before you get one more season with one of the best defensive players in the league.
The Lions now have until March 10th to sign Suh before other teams are allowed to talk to him. Stay connected with Detroit Jock City for all your Detroit Lions new.