The Miami Dolphins are expected to sign star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, the four-time Pro Bowl selection from the Detroit Lions, the Sun Sentinel has confirmed through NFL sources.
Suh is expected to sign a deal for $114 million with $60 million guaranteed.
Suh’s $60 million guaranteed money would be the second-largest amount in NFL history behind San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who is guaranteed $61 million and ahead of Dallas quarterback Tony Romo ($55 million), Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers ($54 million) and Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler ($54 million).
Elsewhere, Dolphins defensive tackle Jared Odrick is expected to sign with Oakland or Detroit for a deal in the range of $7 million a year, according to a NFL source.
Odrick, the Dolphins’ first-round pick in 2010, was expected to depart because it was thought the team didn’t want to pay him as much as he could fetch on the open market.
Oakland is believed to be chasing Odrick and Denver’s Terrance Knighton.
If Odrick departs it would mean the Dolphins have lost a starting defensive tackle.
The question on the defensive line would become what the Dolphins do with tackle Randy Starks, who is due to count $6 million against the salary cap.
If the Dolphins sign Suh it’d mark the third consecutive year they’ve landed one of the top free agents on the market.
In 2013, the Dolphins signed wide receiver Mike Wallace to a five-year, $60 million contract. In 2014, the Dolphins signed left tackle Branden Albert to a five-year, $47 million contract.
Detroit and Oakland were expected to be among the top suitors for Suh but both have presumably dropped out due to a Dolphins deal that would reportedly pay Suh $60 million over the first three years of the deal.
Suh’s acquisition would also give the Dolphins three Pro Bowl selections on defense, putting him alongside end Cam Wake and cornerback Brent Grimes.
The Dolphins haven’t put three Pro Bowl defensive players on the field since the 2003 season when they had four selections — defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, safety Brock Marion, cornerback Pat Surtain and linebacker Zach Thomas.