The Buccaneers and veteran defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh agreed to terms on a one-year deal Thursday. It comes as the defensive line finds itself in a state of flux with the departure of long-time Buccaneer Gerald McCoy and the news that Jason Pierre-Paul has a fractured neck, suffered in a car accident this offseason.
Enter Ndamukong Suh: one of the league's most feared defensive linemen. A nine-year vet, Suh is a household name across the NFL, known as much for his reliability as his ruthlessness. He's missed just two starts in his career and both of them came back in 2011.
"Just watching him play over the years, he plays with a lot of fire, a lot of attitude and a lot of toughness," Suh's new Defensive Coordinator Todd Bowles said.
Suh's career started with a Defensive Rookie of the Year award after recording 10.0 sacks in 2010. This was after winning pretty much every award available to a defensive player in college and finishing fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2009. He entered the NFL with a vengeance and nine years later, is now just six months removed from an appearance in the Super Bowl while with the Los Angeles Rams last season.
View photos of DT Ndamukong Suh from his career so far.
Los Angeles Rams' Ndamukong Suh (93) warms up before the NFL Super Bowl 53 football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Los Angeles Rams nose tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) lines up prior to the snap during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018 in Los Angeles. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
New England Patriots' Tom Brady (12) throws the ball as Los Angeles Rams' Ndamukong Suh (93) rushes during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 53 football game Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, left, blocks a pass by Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins during the first half in an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh speaks during a media availability ahead of the NFL Super Bowl 53 football game against the New England Patriots Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Los Angeles Rams nose tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) in action during NFL Super Bowl 53 against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019 in Atlanta. The Patriots defeated the Rams, 13-3. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, left, passes under pressure from Los Angeles Rams nose tackle Ndamukong Suh during the second half in an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) in action against Green Bay Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari (69) during an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018, in Los Angeles. The Rams defeated the Packers, 29-27. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Los Angeles Rams nose tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) runs around the edge as Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Eric Fisher (72) blocks during a week 11 NFL football game on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018 in Los Angeles. Los Angeles won 54-51. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees, bottom, is sacked by Los Angeles Rams' Ndamukong Suh during the first half of an NFL football NFC championship game, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott breaks away from Los Angeles Rams nose tackle Ndamukong Suh during the first half in an NFL divisional football playoff game Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) applies pressure on Arizona Cardinals quarterback SAmm Bradford (9) during an NFL Week 2 game on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, in Los Angeles. The Rams shutout the Cardinals 34-0. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackles Aaron Donald (99) and Ndamukong Suh (93) pressure New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) during the NFC championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019, in New Orleans. The Rams defeated the Saints 26-23 in overtime. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) is pressured by Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) during the NFL preseason football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018 in Los Angeles. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) in action during an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Monday, Sept. 10, 2018, in Oakland, Calif. The Rams defeated the Raiders, 33-13. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) chases Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) in the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) is sacked by Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (93), during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 11, 2017, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
FILE - In this Dec. 3, 2017, file photo, Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) and Miami Dolphins strong safety T.J. McDonald (22), tackle Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson (22), during the first half of an NFL football game, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Miami Dolphins appear ready to move on without their defensive anchor. Miami is discussing releasing five-time Pro Bowl tackle Ndamukong Suh when the NFL's new year begins Wednesday, a person familiar with the situation said Monday, March 12, 2018. The person said nothing has been finalized, and confirmed the conversations to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Dolphins have not commented.(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) tackles Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy (25) during an NFL football game on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Orchard Park, N.Y. Miami won 34-31 in overtime. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) stops Miami Dolphins running back Lamar Miller (26) during the first half of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) sacks Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) during the second half of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton (1) is sacked by Detroit Lions' Ndamukong Suh (90) during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014. The Panthers won 24-7. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) is sacked by Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) during an NFL wild card playoff football game at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, January 4, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. Dallas won 24-20. (AP Photo/Aaron M. Sprecher)
He comes into a similar system in Tampa Bay, at least on paper, as both the Rams and the Bucs now have defenses that are classified as a 3-4 base. However, knowing Bowles, you won't be able to tell given that the front seems to change by the play. Versatility is key in a defense that thrives on confusing its opponent and imposing its own will on them through said confusion.
And would you look at that?
Suh is one of the most versatile interior defenders you're going to find. Last year, he played a little out of his natural position and was moved around the line for the Rams, getting a majority of his snaps at nose tackle rather than at interior end in a three-down front or on the interior of a four-down front. As for what's in store for him here in Tampa, Bowles shed a little bit of light on that, too.
"He will probably play a bunch of different places on the line," the Bucs' defensive coordinator said. "He can move across the line and play all three inside positions so he should have no problem with that."
Suh has created problems in the pass rush for nine seasons. He has 396 total pressures in his career, which include sacks, quarterback hurries and knockdowns. His power from the middle is multi-faceted, though. An underrated part of Suh's game, if there can be such a thing, is actually how effective he is against the ground game.
"That's important," Bowles said about the ability to stop the run. "Any time you have someone that's disruptive, he's good against the pass as well. He may not get all the sacks, but he will cause other people to have favorable matchups and get sacks, so he brings that to the table, as well. He brings a lot."
The Buccaneers allowed the third-most rushing touchdowns in 2018 and finished the season 23rd in overall rushing defense, leaving room for improvement. While smashmouth, just run-it-up-the-gut football has all but faded into the lore of NFL history, modern offensive schemes with their run-pass options, pass-happy tendencies and hybrid running backs and tight ends with great hands still rely on the threat of the run. And lest we forget, the Super Bowl Suh just played in was won on that concept. Essentially, the Rams' collapse could be, in part, attributed to the fact they couldn't get anything going on the ground, even with one of the best running backs in the game in Todd Gurley in the backfield. It made them one-dimensional and therefore, predictable, to a stifling Patriots' defense. Stopping the run is becoming a lost art, but Suh's nine years in the league ensure he's not among those it's lost on.
"It's always great to add another piece," Bowles said. "If you can't stop the run on the inside, it doesn't matter what you're doing in the passing game. It gives us another big body inside to go along with Vita [Vea] and Beau [Allen] and [Will] Gholston and the rest of the guys and put in the rotation so we can keep people fresh."
Bowles is vaguely familiar with Suh, too, which makes Suh vaguely familiar with Bowles. The football world is entirely too small for a long-time coach like Bowles and a long-time player like Suh to not have at least a surface relationship. How much that relationship factored into Suh's decision to sign with Tampa is anyone's guess, but make no mistake, this past week wasn't the first time Bowles had spoken to Suh.
"We spoke for the first time last year when I was with the Jets and we talked about him as a free agent coming in," Bowles said. "So we had a few conversations last year, maybe about three conversations last year [laughs]. But we do have a pretty good relationship and feel for each other."
That feel also undoubtedly helped in convincing Suh to come to Tampa in the first place and it should translate on the field as Suh fits right in to what Bowles has planned for him.
