Replacement for McCoy found with Suh signing

TAMPA — Bucs fans who thought defensive lineman Gerald McCoy had too much squeak in his clean are going to love the way newcomer Ndamukong Suh leaves a trail of muddy footprints wherever he plays.

Suh was voted the NFL’s dirtiest player in a poll of 103 players from 31 teams in 2012.

He has stomped on quarterbacks and offensive linemen alike. He has been fined and suspended and soiled his own reputation.

Whereas McCoy is a real people person with the gift for gab, Suh can be aloof and has carried an enigmatic personality on and off the field.

Make no mistake, both McCoy and Suh are accomplished NFL stars nearing the end of their careers.

McCoy has gone to six Pro Bowls, Suh to five. Suh was the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Overall, McCoy is a better pass rusher. Suh is a better run stuffer.

Suh will come cheaper than the $13 million McCoy was supposed to earn in 2019. But the cheap shots may come with him.

And when you boil it down, the reason the Bucs have essentially taken a do-over of the 2010 draft is because they hope Suh is not past his grime.

Why else would the Bucs have reached an agreement, according to ESPN, on a one-year deal with Suh on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after releasing McCoy?

The timing is not coincidental. The Bucs didn’t cut ties with McCoy until they had his replacement all but signed, sealed and hoping he will deliver.

On Tuesday, before multiple reports confirmed the agreement, Bucs coach Bruce Arians didn’t want to talk any more about McCoy.

“We’ve already moved on,” Arians said.