Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports that the Dolphins are “confident” they’ll land NDamukong Suh.
According to Salguero, the Dolphins don’t believe it’s a guarantee — because they’ll have competition from teams like the Raiders, Jaguars, Colts, Giants and perhaps the Jets.
I’m told the Dolphins are confident they’re going to put a great offer on the table for Suh. They are confident they can get him. They are not certain because, obviously, this is a still a competition.
Teams that are expected to also show interest include Oakland, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, and perhaps Tennessee. Detroit remains a possibility for a return.
The discussions between Suh’s agent and the Dolphins will include a repeat of the message the team has already heard unofficially: Suh wants to be the NFL’s highest-paid player (negotiable) but definitely its highest-paid non-quarterback (not negotiable).
And then the sides can begin laying parameters for a what it is going to take. It is going to take a deal in the vicinity of $102 million over six years. The final deal will average out near $17 million per season but that isn’t the important number.
The important numbers are that the deal will have to include about $30-32 million that is fully guaranteed with another $20-$25 million in additional guarantees.
