Suh shores up Rams’ line
LOS ANGELES — Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh agreed to a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, joining All-Pro Aaron Donald on a potentially fearsome defensive front.
Suh was released by the Dolphins earlier this month when he declined to restructure his hefty contract after three seasons in Miami.
He attracted widespread interest as a free agent before agreeing to join the defending NFC West champion Rams, who have revamped their already solid defense with several impressive offseason additions.
Suh’s deal in Los Angeles is worth $14 million, according to the NFL Network and ESPN.
A five-time Pro Bowl selection during his eight-year career with Detroit and Miami, Suh is considered one of the NFL’s most impressive defensive linemen, with 51 ½ career sacks and excellent runstopping ability. He has never missed a game due to injury.
With Suh and Donald playing side by side, the Rams will have a formidable front for defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ 3-4 scheme.
Suh and Michael Brockers will start alongside Donald, AP’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Suh has never played in a 3-4 alignment during his NFL career, but Phillips specializes in finding ways for outstanding players to shine. He is also much less likely to face double-teams as a pass-rusher while lining up with Donald in a partnership that will stretch most opponents’ blocking abilities to the limit.
Suh visited New Orleans and Tennessee during his free agency tour, and he attracted serious interest from the New York Jets. But the Rams won him over last week after a visit to their suburban training complex and a dinner in Malibu with coach Sean McVay and owner Stan Kroenke.
Suh likely could have made more money with the Titans or Jets, but the Rams are widely considered a team on the rise — and with his arrival on a lucrative one-year deal, the Rams have signaled their determination to compete for the Super Bowl immediately.
The Rams have revamped their defense with proven talent in an effort to raise its performance to the level of McVay’s offense, which led the NFL with 478 points last season in a stunning worst-tofirst transformation.