The 2015 NFL free-agent class is loaded with premier names across a variety of positions. The Broncos boast two of the biggest in wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and tight end Julius Thomas, as do the Cowboys in wide receiver Dez Bryant and running back DeMarco Murray. The pool will be watered down a bit by the time unrestricted free agency begins, as teams have approximately two months to extend player contracts or use the franchise or transition tags on a free agent-to-be.
But there's one particularly unique case for a coveted free agent: defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh of the Lions, among the most dominant defensive players in the league. Suh's rookie deal voids five days after the Super Bowl, and if the Lions want to use the franchise or transition tag on him, it would result in a cap number of $26.745 million for 2015 (assuming they were unable to reach a long-term deal with Suh). Couple that figure with cap numbers of $20.558 million for wide receiver Calvin Johnson and $17,721,250 for quarterback Matthew Stafford, and the Lions would have likely north of 40 percent of their 2015 cap tied to three players. While not inconceivable, it's a predicament for a team that has areas its must address elsewhere and other free agents to sign as well (the team's other talented defensive tackle, Nick Fairley, is set to be a free agent, for example).
With Suh likely to reach the open market, let's evaluate his skill set and potential free-agent fits.