The Miami Dolphins continue to part ways with some of their best players. They are reportedly going to release Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
After a disastrous 6-10 campaign in 2017, the Miami Dolphins have clearly begun a purge of talented, but frustrating players in their locker room. They traded running back Jay Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles mid-season last year.
On Friday, the Dolphins traded wide receiver Jarvis Landry to the Cleveland Browns after slapping him with the franchise tag. It now seems that they are going to part ways with defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh as well.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, “The plan is for Ndamukong Suh to be released as early as [Monday] as the Dolphins continue their attempt at a culture change.”
The plan is for Ndamukong Suh to be released as early as today as the Dolphins continue their attempt at a culture change – a plan that has purged arguably Miami’s three most talented players within last year. A lot riding on 2018.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) March 12, 2018
Suh made bank the last time he was a free agent. He inked a massive six-year deal worth $114,375,000 with the Dolphins before the 2015 NFL season. Suh had been a three-time All-Pro nose tackle in his five years out of Nebraska with the Detroit Lions.
While Suh has been one of the better nose tackles in the NFL since being the Lions’ No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, he hasn’t been without headaches. Suh is notorious for his plays after the whistle. He is ruthless in his pursuit of the quarterback, often times executing cheap shots on the vulnerable opposing signal caller.
Sure, Suh has missed a total of two games in his eight year NFL career. He has made it to four Pro Bowls and is probably the most talented player on the Dolphins. However, none of this has really translated to winning. Three times has Suh made the NFL playoffs. On all three occasions, the Lions and Dolphins were eliminated in the wild card round as the visiting team.
Suh was under contract with the Dolphins through the 2020 NFL season. He will be 31 years old for the 2018 NFL season. The question is where will he end up playing in his ninth season in the league. Suh obviously has a ton of talent, but will need to land in the right situation for a prospective team to maximize his value.
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If the Dolphins do cut Suh, this could be another long and frustrating year for the Dolphins. Miami is at a cross-road as a football team. Are the Dolphins in win-now mode or are they rebuilding for the future? NFL rosters can turnover quickly, but how much time does head coach Adam Gase have to see the culture change through?