Polian On Suh: Buyer Beware
May 23rd, 2019
Straight talk.
A man in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for building winning teams doesn’t sound like a guy who would sign new Bucs defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh if he was still an NFL general manager.
Bill Polian, the man who built the four-time AFC champion Buffalo Bills, the playoff-bound Carolina Panthers and the Super Bowl-winning Indianapolis Colts took to the airwaves of SiriusXM NFL Radio Tuesday night just as word broke that the Bucs had signed Suh, a free agent.
While Polian admits Suh is a very talented player, the veteran defensive lineman seems to rub Polian the wrong way for how he uses his On/Off switch.
Polian explained while co-hosting “Late Hits” with Friend of Joe, Alex Marvez.
“In [Bucs defensive coordinator] Todd’s [Bowles] scheme, he will probably be a defensive end,” Polian said of Suh (which is also what Greg Cosell said). “What does he bring? I honestly don’t know because what we saw last year from him with the Rams was — I don’t want to say ‘disinterest’ because that would be disrespectful — but less than stellar play until the last three or four games of the season and the playoffs where he came alive.
“Clearly he husbands his energy. I’m not sure they are getting the Ndamukong Suh the Rams got last year that there is much improvement there [over former Bucs stud defensive tackle Gerald McCoy]. We’ll see.
“He is a talented player, there is no two ways about that. He is what he is. He is always going to have the penalties. He is always going to have the hiccups, if you will, that occur from time to time because of the intensity of which he plays in certain situations. But he doesn’t exhibit that all the time.”
Polian went on to say players who turn it on and turn it off on a whim are tough to build a team with. He recounted a conversation he had with his former Colts head coach Jim Mora, where Mora said he can win with lesser players so long as they put out 100 percent each Sunday.
With more talented players who play by the beat of their own drum, you don’t know what you have or how the player will perform, Mora said, per Polian.
“That’s not conducive to winning,” Polian said. “And that’s been a little bit of Ndamukong Suh’s M.O. throughout his career which is why he has changed teams so many times.”
Joe believes this will be a test for the Bucs coaching staff, from Bucco Bruce Arians to Todd Bowles to defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers, a Bill Parcells disciple.
For some reason, Joe doesn’t see a guy groomed by Parcells tolerating someone who decides when he will put out.
And you have to wonder, if a guy like Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips struggled to get through to Suh, how will Bowles solve this riddle?
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:07 am
This bum is a classic example why there should be a mandatory maximum age of 65….. he’s more out of touch than stormy Daniel’s attorney…this has been just needs to go away… no one hangs to washed up bums like a buc website. Might as well do a piece on what vince Lombardi thinks of suh it will have about the same weight
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:08 am
We need to see the terms of the contract…..there apparently are some incentives but probably not enough to affect behavior…..and yes, this will be a responsibility of the coaches, BA, Bowles and Rodgers to monitor and motivate because it appears that Suh need it at least part of the time.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:13 am
I don’t love what the Bucs did here. It is clearly a stop gap measure. Suh is Swaggy on steroids (a lot more ability)
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:16 am
He is a worry. Worth it?
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:18 am
Regardless, opponents will have to game plan for Suh.
TB will exploit the heck out of that fact.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:20 am
Suh>McCoy end of story. Even Suh at half speed will be more productive than McCoy. Do you want a tougher, meaner defense or not. People on this site complain about every move the Bucs make. Lets see a few games before we go all negative. Just saying.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:22 am
Get back to me when his name is on the dotted line.As of now I have seen nothing official they signed him. So right now it’s all talk.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:22 am
Don’t we all know this already?
The biggest upside to Suh is he’s not Softie.
Get it?
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:22 am
Some of the criticism of McCoy is very justified. But if you think you got rid of the problems by having Suh, you are living in fantasy land. If Wade Philips cannot motivate Suh, BA is not going to. But, like I said, it is a stop-gap
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:22 am
Man the Joe’s must still be devistated that America’s DT has been released. As for Bill Polian, he should be worrying less about who the Bucs sign and be worrying more about any potential fallout from the AAF debacle that he oversaw.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:23 am
Now we’ll see all the Buc loser fans put Polian on blast because they don’t want to hear it. Put your heads in the sand idiots. 12-4 is on the way.
Here’s a classic example of a true idiot:
tmaxcon Says:
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:07 am
This bum is a classic example why there should be a mandatory maximum age of 65…..
BRUCE ARIANS IS 66!!!! You freaking $#@#$! Joe, we need a mandatory IQ test to be able to post here.
Wow.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:24 am
So this guy takes half the game off every week. And still has the same amount of sacks and almost 200 more tackles than McCoy. So what does that say about McCoy. Suh stats don’t match this theory that McCoy is better. I bet I won’t see suh asking to come out on the final drive to stop them and win the game. And you talk about suhs penalties. But you don’t mention the almost once a game guaranteed jump offsides from McCoy. If Arians who is a tough minded coach thinks suh is an upgrade over McCoy. Than I am with it.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:26 am
Tmax must hate having Arian’s in Tampa.
It’s a long shot but maybe Suh will begin to care about his legacy now that he’s so close to the end of his career. It’s a what have you done for me lately world and with a few seasons probably left in his career he can close on a high note.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:27 am
Don’t listen to bill polians racist ass
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:30 am
They addressed his effort issues already with 3 words……INCENTIVE LADEN CONTRACT. Money motivates more than anything.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:32 am
This defense needs toughness! McCoy was a decent DT. But he never flashed and helped this team win in the second half that I can remember. Let’s give this coaching staff and revamped D a chance.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:37 am
Now we’ll see all the Buc loser fans put Polian on blast because they don’t want to hear it. Put your heads in the sand. 12-4 is on the way.
Here’s a classic example of a true (not allowed to say on here):
tmaxcon Says:
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:07 am
This bum is a classic example why there should be a mandatory maximum age of 65…..
BRUCE ARIANS IS 66!!!! You freaking $#@#$! Joe, we need a mandatory IQ test to be able to post here.
Wow.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:42 am
Suh vs GMC:
If you look closely at GMC vs Suh in terms of stats per games played you will find some interesting things. Suh will be better in some categories. GMC will be better in other categories.
Suh has played in 19 more games than GMC during the the last nine years. His totals for most categories reflect this
Is it possible that Suh had a basic edge in raw talent from the beginning of their respective careers? He certainly has demonstrated greater endurance.
Is it possible that GMC pushed himself beyond his physical limitations most of the time while Suh has not. Can anyone really go back and compare who has taken more “plays off” during their careers overall. Could anyone determine the so called facts?
Who would be the tougher player then? Would it right to call either of them “creampuff” if we had that knowledge? We know who has the nastier reputation of the two around here in Buc Fan Land.
I do know that both have played well enough to have been considered top tier at their position and have been to multiple Pro bowls.
Let the debate continue. I am dropping out of the argument now and paying more attention to the immediate future of our team. I am concerned who we will have on our roster and how many games we can win this upcoming season.
___________
Go Bucs!!!
P.S. I have purposely posted these remarks under three different discussions today on JBF.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:44 am
Suh will make some amazing plays and he will loaf on more. He is the type of player message boards are built for – there will be alot of debate.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:56 am
Eric Y—
You come across as a “highly educated deep thinker,” especially when compared to my pedestrian attempts to absorb knowledge.
That said, please enlighten me.
What makes Bill Polian a “racist ass?”
I had no idea this man was so evil …
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:56 am
Hmm I wonder if Joe likes the Suh signing or not? The Bucs gap integrity will be better than it’s been for the last 9 years with McCoy.
McCoy has an elite get off. But he really only has one move. Blow past the guards hip with a swim/ rip. And it if doesn’t work he gets beat and pushed out of his gap. Leading to a ton of big run plays that otherwise would never have been there.
Suh is one of the most physically dominant 3 techs in the league and almost never gives up any ground. This will be the most disciplined defense we’ve seen in a long time.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:57 am
Not an improvement. The bucs couldn’t resign Gerald due to the salary.
So they got a comparable player and moved on.
More to it than McCoy vs. Suh.
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:58 am
Can’t put too much into either player. They are both past 30 and best days are behind them. McCoy was the only premier talent on our defense of line for nearly a decade. He went to the pro bowl six out of nine years. I think the haters need to relax. That being said sometimes you need to make a change just for the purpose of change. If we get Suh for a little less money and he actually plays hard might be great. Here is the easiest way to look at it. If you were going into a back alley and you were going to fight who would you rather have on your side? One definitely has more of a mean streak but yet the other one does actually have a Batman suit! LOL
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:59 am
tmaxcon Says:
May 23rd, 2019 at 9:07 am
This bum is a classic example why there should be a mandatory maximum age of 65…..
Bruce is 66
May 23rd, 2019 at 10:01 am
Tmaxon…You are the man brother. Although at times I disagree with you, you make me smile or laugh more times than not. Have a good day !
May 23rd, 2019 at 10:05 am
2nd most tackles for lost last five years behind only Aaron Donald. Bill f-off.
May 23rd, 2019 at 10:09 am
Eric
you are dead wrong… they upgraded from a doll to a man and saved some cash. And you are right there is more to it, the bucs finally have a coach with a SACK that stood up to the glazers to give these fine young men a chance without the burden of cancer93 holding them back.
May 23rd, 2019 at 10:21 am
you can say “buyer beware” on every player….lol…
whoever gets GMC better “beware” he’s not a winner…
GO BUCS!!!!
May 23rd, 2019 at 10:23 am
I don’t understand what everyone is so excited about… We made a business move to create cap space to sign our draft picks and signed the best available DL at the time for a price we wanted… It’s simple I love McCoy he was a great buc but he wasn’t willing to meet the bucs at a comfortable contract price and BA is on public record saying where McCoy was at this time in his career that he warranted a 13 million dollar salary. Even if Suh doesn’t work out as high as people are hyping him up for he is a great stop gap. This move is not so much cutting McCoy for Suh as much as it is saving cap space to sign other players. We need to start calling this what it is and stop hyping up the transaction. At the worst, this is a one year deal for Suh if he sucks hes gone. (If he signs another deal next season he will count toward the comp picks formula.) Judging by this roster and where we have been the last decade Suh will be the least of our worries on the defense.
May 23rd, 2019 at 10:23 am
Relax. It’s a 1 year stop gap contract. He will play fine because he will want another one somewhere else next year.
May 23rd, 2019 at 10:30 am
Doolnutts
he was a horrible buc that collected 8 basement titles. the object of the game is to win not quit on coaches and disappear when it matters most. cancer93 was the undisputed face of the basement years.
May 23rd, 2019 at 10:50 am
McCoy is gone now… how long will you posers blame him for your miserable state of mind? Too funny. Go Bucs!
May 23rd, 2019 at 10:51 am
Chipbuc u did it wrong its suh<McCoy u said suh was worse. The pretend it’s a gator the better one eats the other but honestly they r polar opposites attitude wise however they r about the same performance wise
May 23rd, 2019 at 11:12 am
So what? It’s a one year deal on a team that has an uphill battle to have a winning record. His price was 3 mill cheaper because McCoy couldn’t see fit to give the team a discount. He plays with more passion, and he tackles twice as many runners than GMC has ever done in a season. Plus, he gets his arms up in the passing lane. Polian and the negative crowd can take a long walk on a short plank.
May 23rd, 2019 at 11:40 am
4-12 at best
May 23rd, 2019 at 11:43 am
No contract. No Suh.
Wake me IF he becomes a Buc.
May 23rd, 2019 at 12:00 pm
Oh hot Rod…actually Chip was right with the greater than sign. You may want to stick with that Radio Shack gig focusing on 9 volt batteries and remote control cars.
May 23rd, 2019 at 12:01 pm
Ndamukong Suh will be off the team in a year. No way does he get a new contract in 2020 from the Bucs.
If the team does well, and he plays well, then he will demand too much money.
(too much other money going to go out in this scenario)
If he takes plays off and does poorly, the Bucs (and fans) will not want him.
So, in essence, the Arians is putting everything into a one year push in the hopes of doing well.
To recap, we are down Kwon Alexander (White seems like a great replacement, but we’ll see), Adam Humphries, Gerald McCoy (Suh is not as good and take a lot of plays off), and Vincent Jackson (a good move…better than expected considering Scott Miller seems to be better than Jackson).
Also. on a side note…last I read, the draft picks being signed were:
SIGNED
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
DE Anthony Nelson
K Matt Gay
WR Scotty Miller
DE Terry Beckner
UNSIGNED
LB Devin White
CB Jamel Dean
S Mike Edwards
Does anyone know if Dean or Edwards have signed yet? I know White has not.
May 23rd, 2019 at 12:03 pm
It appears that in Todd Bowles Defense, he will have large DE. I can envision Vita at NT and Suh, gholston and Nassib at DE. Lavonte, Spence and Barrett will be the rushing/blitzing OLB. Devin White will be the rushing MLB.
There is hope!
May 23rd, 2019 at 12:59 pm
love me some tmaxcon
May 23rd, 2019 at 2:39 pm
Tmax talcing trash on Bill Polian is peak Tmax
May 23rd, 2019 at 3:09 pm
Am I mistaken. Isn’t GMC an African American? Isn’t Suh also an African American? And so how does race factor into this?
Does Polian have a record of racism? Hard to sustain in the NFL where 70% of the players are black?
Perhaps he was like the dude in the “Black Klansman”. An entertaining movie btw. Perhaps Polian faked being black all of these years.
There is plenty enough REAL racism to go around without searching for it in places it’s not a factor.
May 23rd, 2019 at 3:48 pm
LMAO here. Losers hinge their hopes on anything and anybody. Suh will flash and have a couple of good games. But often, as he has in the past, He’ll completely disappear for long periods of time. Then he will get angry and have several bad penalties. Just check his past and you will discover his M.O. As a Bucs fan, I’m hoping for the best But I’m already knowing….
May 23rd, 2019 at 4:34 pm
Joe(s), I like you, but the Polian love is always funny to me as this is the same guy who said Michael Bennett wasn’t in the top 150 free agents when the Bucs left him to go Seattle. He published his list of guys for ESPN, and didn’t have him in the top 100, nor in the 50 ‘others’… If you think the guy who beats up old women and abandons his pets and spits on the flag leaving here was the biggest mistake the Bucs have made since it was so obvious – then how does that align with Polian thinking Bennett was a trash player?
Serious question as I see Bennett and Polian brought up all the time.
May 23rd, 2019 at 5:17 pm
OK Now lets move on to JPP. Whats Licht to do?
May 23rd, 2019 at 5:47 pm
stpetebucsfan Says:
“… how does race factor into this? There is plenty enough REAL racism to go around without searching for it in places it’s not a factor.”
.
.
Unfortunately Marxist educators are teaching our children to see everything through the prism of race and victimhood. It’s easier to control the masses when everyone is suspicious of one another.
May 23rd, 2019 at 7:46 pm
Let’s just start bashing the guy before he gets out of France. Can we just see what he does!!! Screw Bill! You don’t know what BA and Todd can do yet.
May 23rd, 2019 at 11:24 pm
There is one difference from Suh on the Rams and Suh on the Bucs – Suh will be called on to be the leader of the DL with JPP’s career presumably over and McCoy gone. BA, TB, and KR aren’t going to let his loafing go unnoticed.
Put his name on that accountability chart and challenge his ego.
May 24th, 2019 at 4:27 pm
It is a little unfair to criticize him for changing teams. He saw a 100 million payday to go to Dolphins and they had to cut him because of cap costs relative to entire team. Rams paid the guy $14 million with space but could not without it. He was solid and getting paid 9.25 is about right.