Joe Staley: Suh Still Elite
February 2nd, 2020
49ers LT talks Ndamukong Suh.
Not always when Joe asks NFL players or coaches a question are they so friendly.
Joe remembers the last time the Super Bowl was in Miami. Joe asked Drew Brees a Bucs-related question and Brees sort of snapped at Joe and with a very sour look on his face said, “Why are you asking me about the Bucs?”
When Bucs fans screamed bloody murder that long-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy was no better than weed-carrying, kneeling Akeem Spence, among other stiffs, Joe would ask other NFL coaches and players if these (hysterical) charges had any merit.
These men would often look at Joe like he had three ears, not believing what they were hearing.
Well, Joe got one of those looks last week from 49ers left tackle Joe Staley. The veteran offensive lineman is playing in his second Super Bowl tonight and is looking for his first ring.
Bucs fans may remember the Bucs hung tough with San Francisco to open the season but were doomed by — you guessed it — two gift-wrapped presents for 12 points from Mr. Entertainment, America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
Some folks think Ndamukong Suh has seen his best days and the Bucs should let him walk if he tries to stick up Team Glazer for a large amount of loot. But one of Joe’s biggest football axioms is you don’t let good players go unless you have someone to replace him of equal or better value.
When Joe asked Staley at Super Bowl Opening Night if Suh can still bring it like he once did with the Lions, Staley gave Joe one of those sideways-puppy stares.
“Yeah,” Staley said, shocked Joe would ask such a question. Then Joe asked him if Suh still was the same player he was years ago.
Staley tried to answer.
“Man, that was 17, 18, 20 games or however it was ago,” Staley said. “But yeah, what I remember is that’s the same Ndamukong Suh. Tough as ever. Not sure what else you want me to say?”
That was all Joe need to know. The way Suh played against the run and helped change games, he needs to be kept.
Unless the Bucs plan to draft this Javon Kinlaw.
February 2nd, 2020 at 11:36 am
Strong like a DT and fast like a DE. Yes.
February 2nd, 2020 at 11:53 am
Suh is the capstone of our Dline. He was a top draft pick #2 overall…he is a generational talent!!! He brings toughness to our defense. At 80% of his prime ability he’s still better than any raw meat rookie we bring in drafting at 14 or lower.
If someone wants to make the argument that we should package a bunch of draft picks to move up to #2 and replace Suh with Chase Young another generational DL and hope Vea is ready to step up and be the force in the middle…at least talent wise that’s an argument to be made.
If somebody thinks we’re going to replace a generational talent without another talent like that…sorry IMHO that’s not going to work.
This is NOT a tough decision. We MUST resign Suh..JPP and Barrett. If we need to use franchise tags on any of them or two of them do it.
February 2nd, 2020 at 11:55 am
Great to see Joe Staley playing in the Super Bowl again. The 2 starting left tackles for both teams are Central Michigan products. That’s pretty cool.
February 2nd, 2020 at 12:02 pm
In order of Defensive priority, keep
JPP
Shaq
Suh
(Nassib)
And I would keep JPP and Shaq and then see what’s left to address QB. And if the QB is reasonable or demands $35 large plus.
February 2nd, 2020 at 12:04 pm
Do you consider Entertainment throwing pick 6’s or 30 ints? Oh maybe it’s all the fumbles? Or not reading Defense and Staring down receivers? Hold on to the ball way to long? Or a bunch of useless numbers that don’t equal wins?
February 2nd, 2020 at 12:07 pm
I like Kinlaw also but I think he is gone by #14.
February 2nd, 2020 at 12:13 pm
I would like to keep Suh, draft an OT in the 1st and Suh replacement in the 2nd (DT from TX A&M). It’s all going to come down to the money they spend at QB. Consider this:
Shaq and JPP $35M combined
Nassib $3M
Gabbert, Nunez-Rochos, Minter, Adams, Liedtke, Auclair, Hudson $12M combined
You have $40M left for a QB (JW or another), pay Suh, pay Godwin and Lavonte before they become FA at the end of next year. I doubt you can do all of that for $40M.
Don’t resign – Allen, Dotson, Perriman (can’t afford $10M #3 receiver), Barber
Trade OJ Howard for 2nd and 4th
Pick up mid-level CB and DT in FA
February 2nd, 2020 at 12:13 pm
the truth is:
sign brady, and they’re all coming back…
because tampa becomes “title-town”
i hate to say it but brady is the answer to so many issues – empty seats, jersey sales, players wanting to play here for less dough…
brady is the answer…
i can’t believe i’m saying this
February 2nd, 2020 at 12:24 pm
Elite? No. Top 10? Probably. Either way I still want Suh here for at least one more season.
February 2nd, 2020 at 12:43 pm
” two gift-wrapped presents for 12 points from Mr. Entertainment”
You mean 6 points gift wrapped from the angry ginger Jensen who did a perfect block of Dare on that final screen pass – knocking him to the ground as Winston was throwing the ball.
Context matters.
February 2nd, 2020 at 12:56 pm
Bucs seem to typically keep 4 DLinemen who can play either the interior and the edge of the DLine as the situation warrants. This past year that was Vea, Suh, Allen & Nunez-Roches, all of them over 300 lbs. When it comes to the beasts who can play the interior of the DLine, Bucs have ONE right now under contract … Vita Vea (Suh, Allen & Nacho are all UFAs). (Gholston plays there some, and so does O’Connor, both of whom are also under contract), but both of them seem to be more fill-ins than anything else).
Seems to me that the Bucs have to re-sign Suh even if we draft a DT high this year (and we should). Let the rookie replace Allen (who made $4 mil last year for 179 defensive snaps … barely 15%) as a key rotational player & learn from Suh (who in comparison had 874 defensive snaps … over 77% … and cost around $9 mil). IOW, Suh had almost 5 times as many snaps for a little over twice as much money.
StPete nailed it … “Suh is the capstone of our Dline”. Don’t insult him by trying to lowball him. $10 mil per year for 2 years is a fair contract, then just hope that he’s willing to return to the Bucs to finish out his career here. He really is a generational talent.
February 2nd, 2020 at 1:03 pm
Only a jackass would ask these type of Bucs questions and ruin these guy’s time during super bowl week.
You wonder why they look sideways at you? So silly. Super Bowl Opening Night (formerly media day) is very much about questions that have nothing to do with the Super Bowl. Players field questions for a full hour. The Super Bowl-related stuff dies out after a while. Many players are happy to talk about anything.–Joe
Because you’re lame and annoying
February 2nd, 2020 at 1:14 pm
There are about 10 to 15 draft prospects I’d be happy with the Bucs getting, including Kinlaw. My favorite is AJ Epenesa of Iowa. The only thing I don’t want the Bucs to do is reach for a QB.
February 2nd, 2020 at 1:31 pm
We are def bringing Suh back as long as he wants it. And after we sign Brady, he’ll probably be willing to do it for a discount just to get that chance for one more ring!
February 2nd, 2020 at 1:31 pm
Hey @Bucs Guy.
1. Hudson is a ERFA meaning the Bucs have total control. The sign him at $510,000 or not. Do not have to give him a penny more. Can’t give him any less. Total control for the team.
2. I have not been as much as a Nassib fan as others but I think 3 million is low for a guy who had 6 sacks each of the last two years.
3. Earl Watford took $870K last year. Seemed like he won the backup job over Liedtke. No other reason than that – that I would probably prefer Watford over Liedtke especially at same price.
Lastly: I do not see any O.J Howard trade, he will make 3.5 million this year and we will take a full 3.5 million dead cap hit if we trade him. Brate makes 6 million and we take “no” cap hit if we cut him. Brate may have been better than O.J. Howard last year but he was not better than him in 2018. Brate’s better hand’s are liked by his quarterback. But Howard has better speed and more strength potential blocking. He is three years younger and he costs less and if we get rid of Brate over Howard it is 2.5 million dollars of actual savings of money and 9.5 million of cap space saving comparative.
February 2nd, 2020 at 4:15 pm
Upgrade d line, o line or quarterback with the first pick please. Get to the qb, protect the qb or go out and get your qb. Please dont draft a safety with the first pick licht. I’d like to see us get kinlaw and suh to have a relentless pass rush all game long so suh and vea dont play too many snaps. I’d also be ok with drafting the qb of the future to sit a year.
I think even if BA was the head coach 5 years ago he would have chose winston. The quarterback free agent pool makes it a lot easier to move on from winston
February 2nd, 2020 at 8:13 pm
I agree with you somewhat, Pewter power. If there’s a run on the positions you mentioned, and Isaiah Simmons fell to us, I’d like to make him our Safety. Doubt that happens, and I haven’t read glowing reports on Grant Delpit.
February 2nd, 2020 at 8:58 pm
Re-sign Suh and draft Kinlaw.
February 3rd, 2020 at 10:02 am
Its hilarious that alot of these players are giving Joe a hard time at Superbowl media week when he asks them random Bucs questions. They work their entire lives to get to the superbowl and after a hard fought season they’re getting asked boring questions about a crap team. I completely understand why they are looking at Joe cockeyed like wtf dude.
February 3rd, 2020 at 8:35 pm
Nassib is going to get more substantially more than 3 mil