National Football League

Getting their man: Dolphins, Suh ready for challenge ahead

Published Mar. 11, 2015 3:30 p.m. ET

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DAVIE, Fla. -- The Miami Dolphins finalized terms with Ndamukong Suh on Wednesday, signing the highly touted defensive tackle to a reported six-year, $114 million contract with $60 million in guaranteed money.

"It's probably one of the great free-agents signings, at least this year, if not on an historical basis," said Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, who received congratulatory messages from former NBA player Jalen Rose and multi-billionaire Warren Buffet.

"It's great for the Miami Dolphins to have a player like Ndamukong."

The deal, first reported Sunday by ESPN's Chris Mortensen, carries the richest average yearly salary of any non-quarterback in NFL history, surpassing Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt's six-year, $100 million contract signed in 2014.

Additionally, Suh's $60 million in guaranteed money falls just short of the $61 million quarterback Colin Kaepernick received from the San Francisco 49ers last offseason for the most guaranteed money in league history.

"I guess it hasn't sunk into me just yet," Suh said of his record-breaking contract. "I'm very thankful for it, and I'm a person who always likes to live up to what's put ahead of him."

Had the Detroit Lions chosen to the use the franchise tag on Suh, it would have cost the team close to $26.9 million to retain him for the 2015 season. In the end, the Lions let Suh walk and were unable to match Miami's hefty offer.

"I had a great time in Detroit," said Suh, whose father and sister accompanied him on his trip to Miami. "I think the fans were absolutely exquisite to me, especially the people in the organization the last five years. For me, it was nothing short of an amazing time. I have a lot of long-lasting relationships that I had in Detroit and I'll always have those people.

"For me, right now, it's embarking on a new career in a new place here in Miami with the Dolphins, and I'm absolutely excited about it."

Miami broke the bank to acquire the big prize of the 2015 free-agency class, and now it'll be up to Suh to help the Dolphins break out of their current state of mediocrity.

The Dolphins haven't reached the playoffs since 2008 and stumbled to 8-8 finishes in consecutive seasons. As the highest paid player in the locker room, Suh admits that although football isn't about any one individual, he's ready to embrace the challenge ahead of him and lead by example.

"I understand that I have to speak up, and I will do that," Suh said. "You do have to show people the right way and how to do things. That's what I'm most excited about, and I look forward to the challenge. If there's no challenge, there's no real excitement and no time to celebrate at the very end of it when you are successful."

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 draft, Suh was the centerpiece of Detroit's top-ranked rush defense in 2014 and has proven to be a dominant force since his arrival in the NFL.

Last year, it was Miami's inability to stop the run that crippled the team down the stretch, allowing opponents to rush for 992 rushing yards and nine touchdowns over the final six weeks of the season.

Suh, 28, has recorded 238 tackles with 36 sacks, 13 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception over five seasons in Detroit. He has been selected to four Pro Bowls and was named a first-team All-Pro three times.

On paper, Miami now boasts one of the best defensive lines in the league, as Suh joins Pro Bowler Cameron Wake and rising star Olivier Vernon up front.

"I've been watching that guy for many, many years," Suh said of Wake. "He's a special defensive end. I look forward, one, playing next to him but [also] opposite of him.

"If you understand his game and understand how it works, when you have a dominant defensive end on the other side of you and your guys are meeting at the quarterback, it's really tough on that guy on the other side of the ball who's trying to throw it and hand it off to that running back."

With the addition of Suh, the Dolphins have only one hole left to fill on their defensive line this offseason as incumbents Jared Odrick and Randy Starks will not return. Odrick signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Randy Starks was released Wednesday. Going forward, Earl Mitchell could be pegged to fill the role if Miami doesn't seek more help in either free agency or the draft.

That being said, Miami now possesses at least a three-headed monster on the defensive line that will be keeping quarterbacks awake during the week and putting them on their backs on Sundays.

As for his well-documented history of being fined for player-safety violations, including a $70,000 fine for stepping on the leg of Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Suh doesn't read too much into his reputation as a dirty player.

"I've been misunderstood in a lot of ways," said Suh, who has missed two games in his career due to suspensions. "That's understandable, people have their own opinions. At the end of the day, I'm going to be the consistent and honest person my parents have brought me to be up."

Though it's hard to believe that Suh's on-field hijinks won't follow him to Miami, the ticking time-bomb aspect of his character does add a beneficial element to his already larger-than-life persona.

"At the end of the day, I'm going out there to help my teammates win and be the best defense that we can be out there on the field," Suh said.

You can follow Jameson Olive on Twitter @JamesonCoop or email him at JamesonOlive@gmail.com.

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