Might LA Rams bring back Ndamukong Suh with AD uncertainty looming?

As the LA Rams sort out the events of what could be a prolonged holdout by defensive lineman Aaron Donald, the team may need to refigure how to remain competitive on the defensive line. The last time the team was facing Aaron Donald holding out to apply pressure for a new contract, the Rams front office went out and signed free agent defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh to the roster.

The result? The LA Rams re-signed Donald, Suh helped free up Donald to have the best career of the season, and Suh played just one season with the Rams but helped to get them to Super Bowl LIII.

Will the Tampa Bay Buccaneers try to re-sign Suh? Several NFL Insiders are now reporting that the Bucs have no intention of bringing Suh back. Chris Rosvoglou of Sports Illustrated The Spun reports:

"“But the Bucs were lukewarm to defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh even before they used their top draft pick on a player at his position in Logan Hall,” Auman wrote. “To sign him now would be to actively chip into Hall’s role before they’ve even seen what he can do. Bucs GM Jason Licht said he wasn’t shutting the door on signing Suh, but then said, ‘there are a lot of injuries that happen throughout the year,’ suggesting he might only be an option in case of a serious injury.”"

The LA Rams, for better or worse, are familiar with the play and character of veteran defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh. If interested, there could be reason enough to lure him into a one-year deal to play for the Rams in 2022. Suh is a 12-year veteran in the NFL.

Rams recognize Suh

His best playing days were with the Detroit Lions, where he competed for five seasons. He has also played for both the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three seasons apiece. He had only played one season for the LA Rams, but that was a rather successful year for the team, finishing with a 13-3 regular-season record.

Suh may not be warmly received by all players on the LA Rams roster. Suh was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for taunting Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. So that may be reason enough to steer clear.

But if the Rams are truly concerned with the chance of not getting Aaron Donald’s new contract done for the 2022 NFL season, Suh could be a viable option. The Rams did so before in 2018, and the team made it all the way to Super Bowl LIII.