Dolphins Preparing To Move On From DT Ndamukong Suh?

Update:

A source with knowledge of the situation also disputes the report that the Dolphins are planning to move on from DT Ndamukong Suh next year, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

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The Miami Dolphins strongly deny that they’re planning to part ways with DT Ndamukong Suh following the 2017 season, according to Barry Jackson.

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Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, citing a source close to Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, reports that the recent incident in which DT Ndamukong Suh grabbed Ravens QB Ryan Mallett‘s throat during Thursday night’s game is just the latest in a string of incidents that will hasten his departure from Miami.

According to La Canfora, the Dolphins are preparing to move on from the defensive tackle in 2018 and are willing to absorb a large cap hit in 2019 to do so.

La Canfora says that Suh’s leadership and on-field behavior have long been in question and the team’s defense has been elite since his arrival and actually finished No. 30 in the league in run defense last year.

Suh will count $26 million against the team’s 2018 salary cap and while his contract is considered prohibitive, La Canfora mentions that Ross is ready to move on from him.

If Miami designates Suh as a post-June 1 cut in 2018, they would save $17M in cash and $17M in cap space. The downside is that this would trigger a $13M dead-cap hit in 2019. Even so, a source tells La Canfora that this would not preclude the Dolphins from moving on from him.

La Canfora points out that Suh is still a quality player, but with them having numerous roster deficiencies, moving on from Suh makes sense.

Suh, 30, is a former first-round pick of the Lions back in 2010. He spent five years in Detroit before signing a six-year, $114 million contract that included $60 million guaranteed with the Dolphins back in March.

Suh stands to make base salaries of $9.985 million (2017), $16.985 million (2018), $18.985 million (2019), and $18.36 million (2020) over the remainder of the contract.

In 2017, Suh has appeared in seven games and recorded 22 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble for the Dolphins.