The Detroit Lions have some big free agency decisions to make in 2015, as Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley and CJ Mosley are hitting the market and the team may try and rework a new deal for Calvin Johnson to help keep at least one of those players, while Reggie Bush could end up as a cap casualty for Jim Caldwell heading into next season.
The Lions are coming off of a playoffs appearance this season with Matthew Stafford and now the team has to see if they can keep Suh or Fairley in free agency. According to ESPN.com the Lions likely will not be able to keep Suh, as he is looking to be one of the highest paid defensive players in football. The Detroit Free Press reported that the team had long term talks with Suh earlier in the season, but they never came close on a deal and now it looks like he could be on his way out of town.
Suh has a reputation as a dirty player, but he also is an All-Pro talent and that means someone will pay him what he wants. According to Adam Schefter at ESPN.com, the Cleveland Browns, Bengals, Chicago Bears, Oakland Raiders and NY Jets all could be options for Suh, as they have money to spend in free agency. Suh is coming off of another solid season with eight sacks in 2014 and he is a dominant player that can automatically make a defense much stronger.
Suh helped the Lions have the best rush defense in the league last season along with Fairley and if the Lions are going to sign one player, they likely would keep Suh. The team may not be able to do that, as he is looking for "JJ Watt" money at around $50 million guaranteed. The Lions are hopeful that they can keep Suh, as team president Tom Lewand said that the Lions are planning to go after him and that they should be able to get a "long term" deal done. The Lions defense has been strong for the past couple years against the run and Suh is one of the main reasons why. According to ESPN.com, Calvin Johnson may rework his deal to free up some money, while Reggie Bush or some other veterans could be let go.
Bush won't end up giving the team that much cap space if he is let go, but he is coming off of a down season and the team may do it anyway. Bush is a good fit for the Lions offense, but he rushed for just 297 yards last season while playing in 11 games and dealing with injuries. The team likes Theo Riddick and Joique Bell and they could cut Bush loose as they try and keep Suh or Fairley.
The Lions finished the season with a loss against the Cowboys in the playoffs and they went 11-5 on the season and finished first overall in rushing yards allowed per game. The team allowed less than 70 yards per game on the ground this season and with the Packers, Bears and Vikings all solid rushing teams, the Lions would be wise to try and keep Suh. The Raiders and Jets as well as the Browns are teams to watch, as Suh is a game changer and has money to spend.
