The Detroit Lions are wrapping up an extension with Matthew Stafford that will keep him in the city through 2017 and have already taken care of Calvin Johnson, which means they now have to turn their attention to their defensive star Ndamukong Suh. The defensive tackle's contract expires after the 2014 season, and he stands out as the only member of the Detroit core not signed to a long-term deal.
Ndamukong Suh contract next issue for Lions
Next on the Lions’ checklist is a deal with Ndamukong Suh and the franchise tag likely won’t be an option.
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For more on Stafford and Suh's deals visit: Pride of Detroit
Making matters tougher for the Lions is that they will not have the option of using the franchise tag on Suh. According to the Detroit Free Press, Suh is due $21.4 million in 2014, so if the Lions wanted to put the franchise tag on him in 2015 to keep him from leaving via free agency, they would have to pay him $25.7 million for just one season.
Suh has said that he would like to stay in Detroit, which is good for the Lions. With the franchise tag off the table, at least realistically, if not technically, they are going to have to come to an agreement with their star tackle.
The 26-year-old registered 25 tackles in 2012, his fewest since entering the league in 2010. He did double his sack total from the previous year to eight, but it was still short of his monster rookie season, when he had 10 sacks and 49 tackles.
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