Even though NFL free agent contracts cannot be signed until Tuesday at 4:00 PM EST, it is being reported by ESPN that Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh will depart from the Detroit Lions and head to the Miami Dolphins on a 6-year, $114 million dollar deal with $60 million in guaranteed money.
According to ESPN, the first three years will contain the $60 million of guaranteed money and will average $19 million dollars a year over the life of the deal.
This will be the biggest deal for a defender in NFL history eclipsing the 6-year, $100 million dollar deal with $51.8 million in guarantees that Defensive End J.J. Watt signed during the 2014 season.
This news comes after the rumor mill reported that Suh would only be considering offers from Detroit and Miami, but Dolphins owner and University of Michigan graduate/booster Stephen Ross made Suh to richest offer in the history of NFL defenders.
Not all hope is lost, this years NFL Draft and Free Agent market are chocked full of viable alternatives to Suh. Though none of them are as individually talented as him, the Lions won’t be left without quality players come next season on the defensive line.
UPDATE:
UPDATE: The Lions offered Ndamukong Suh $17 million per year with $58 million guaranteed. (via @mikerothstein)
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 8, 2015
The Lions offer fell well short of what the Dolphins will reportedly sign Suh for. Do the math and the Lions offer would have been 6-years, $102 million with $58 million guaranteed.