We have reached the point of the NFL offseason that has earned general manager Steve Keim a nickname for his late free agent signings. Many of the Arizona Cardinals’ additions in years past have come after the first wave of free agency. Coined “Keim Time” by some, these additions have made huge impacts on the season.
The Cardinals were quiet in the initial wave of free agency. Their lone splash move came in round one of the draft when they sent the No. 23 overall pick to the Ravens in exchange for WR Marquise Brown. Other than that, however, they’ve been pretty quiet.
One name that could make a lot of sense for the Cardinals is defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who appears to not be returning to Tampa Bay.
Suh is one of the premier defensive lineman of the last decade, spending time with the Lions, Dolphins, Rams and Buccaneers. He was an instrumental part of the Bucs’ 2020 Super Bowl run and terrorized the Cardinals during his time with the Rams. During his time with the Dolphins, Suh played under current Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
At age 35, Suh is likely going to be taking a one-year deal as we get closer to training camp. There are certainly concerns about his age at this point but his contract demands likely wouldn’t be out of the Cards’ budget.
The 2010 No. 2 overall pick has compiled a long list of accolades during his playing career. He is a 5x Pro-Bowler, 3x First-Team All Pro, 2x Second-Team All-Pro and was selected to the 2010s All-Decade Team. Even with his current age, that should be attractive to the Cardinals
The Cardinals are set at defensive end with J.J. Watt and Zach Allen, but defensive tackle remains a question mark. Given the teams’ struggles against the run last season, bringing in a veteran like Suh can only help.
Last season, Suh played in all 17 games for the Bucs and accumulated 6 sacks and 13 QB hits. He also had seven tackles for loss. It’s quite evident he can still play and perhaps the best attribute is his consistent availability, something the Cardinals have struggled with along the defensive line.
Should the Cardinals bring Suh to the desert?
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Latest show:
Previous shows:
and