UPDATE (March 21, 12:02 p.m.): Free-agent defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will no longer make a scheduled Wednesday trip to visit the Raiders, according to NFL Network. He is at home, considering the Rams, Titans and Saints.
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Ndamukong Suh's coming to Alameda. Jon Gruden, Paul Guenther and Reggie McKenzie will have a chance to make a pitch, explaining exactly why the superstar defensive tackle belongs in the Silver and Black.
McKenzie (and owner Mark Davis) would've relished this opportunity last time Suh was a free agent. The Raiders had plenty of cap space in 2015 but oh, so many needs coming off a 3-13 campaign, and weren't prepared for his market value to go nuclear. McKenzie steered clear of the mushroom cloud, and Suh's deal set a new market for defensive players.
He made $60 million over three years in Miami, but didn't see his contract's second half after lackluster team results and hints of inconsistent effort. The Dolphins are reportedly angling for a culture change, and didn't think Suh would help the transition.
That put him back on the open market, with more guaranteed dollars dancing in his head. Suh's on a free-agent tour rare in the modern NFL, where dollars are committed quick once free agency opens. Suh's slow playing this one, thus far hopping from New Orleans to Tennessee to L.A. to see the Rams on a private jet. His charter will land in Oakland Wednesday, according to a Tuesday report from ESPN, to see what the Raiders have to offer.
There's little doubt what Suh can bring. He might be the best interior defensive lineman east of L.A.'s Aaron Donald -- yes, there are a few other top talents -- and would be a perfect fit for Guenther's scheme. That system needs a Geno Atkins type. He made the Guenther's Bengals go in recent seasons, and Suh's certainly as good or better when going strong.
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The real question's what the Raiders can offer that others can't. The Titans and Rams have more salary-cap space, as it stands right now. The Raiders are the only non-playoff team in his bunch, with the other three seemingly on the rise.
The Raiders could champion playing with Khalil Mack. The Rams have Donald, the Titans have Jurell Casey and the Saints have Cam Jordan. Suh has made reference to the final three in interviews with Yahoo! Sports.
Gruden, however, is certainly a selling point. Several signed free agents cited the A-list head coach as an attraction to joining the Raiders. A healthy, impactful Derek Carr and Suh's addition to the defense could make the Raiders a real contender right away, something that will obviously get brought up in Wednesday's visit.
Suh's an Oregon kid, and the Raiders are the closest team to home. That might help.
He could make a pros and cons list about market, state tax issues, chances of winning, coach and locker room culture, but the almighty dollar can't be ignored.
Can the Raiders put together an attractive financial package, one that would make them truly appealing? That's the (multi-)million dollar question?
The Raiders don't have tons of salary-cap space. In fact they're up against the threshold, though cutting veterans without guaranteed money easily creates space. The Raiders could keep Suh's 2018 cap number lower through a signing bonus and fat roster bonuses in future years.
Make no mistake: the cap is not an impenetrable road block. The Raiders might have to get away from contract structuring practices that McKenzie's people used to reach excellent salary-cap standing. That's especially true considering the monster deal given to Carr last year and the mega-extension Mack will get soon.
We say all that with one caveat. Suh's exact team-selection criteria aren't clear. There's no telling if this Alameda trip could help create a robust market, or if he's taking the Raiders seriously. Making the trip means something, however, and will at least give Gruden and Co. a chance to woo Suh, lock him down and radically change expectations for the 2018 season.
