Earlier this week we found out the Chargers were on the list of teams Vikings running back Adrian Peterson would like to be traded to. In the middle of a negotiation for a new stadium that will require public funds, it’s not the greatest idea in the world to bring in a player as polarizing as Peterson.
The debate on that issue hit the NBC 7 San Diego Facebook page and kicked in to overdrive, with people on both sides sharing strong opinions.
Now we have a similar situation with a guy named Suh.
The Chargers are reportedly preparing a contract offer for Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, hands down the number one defensive free agent on the market this year. Suh is expected to command upwards of $100 million dollars with at least $60 million guaranteed. The Chargers are, at the time of this writing, about $25 million under the salary cap for 2015, so that doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room.
However, they have more than twice that much space to work with in 2016, so a deal for Suh can work out if he’s amenable to back-loaded contract.
In five professional seasons, Suh has averaged seven sacks, which is a ton for an interior defensive lineman. He’s a disruptor with the ability to wreck an offensive game plan by sheer size and force. Basically, the exact kind of player the Chargers are looking for.
Suh typically plays in a 4-3 base defense (the Chargers run a base 3-4), but Defensive Coordinator John Pagano does mix in 4 linemen sets and would certainly entertain the idea of moving Suh around the line to fit his skill set.
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Much like Peterson, you cannot argue with Suh’s numbers or impact on the field. However, much like Peterson, Suh comes with serious character questions, and that is where the debate begins.
Suh has had to pay $276,875 (spread out over nine separate incidents) in fines for what the NFL has deemed inexcusable play, and that does not even count the $165,294 he lost after being suspended for two games for stomping on the arm of Packers lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith on Thanksgiving Day in 2011. He has been voted the NFL’s dirtiest player multiple times and one online fan poll had him ranked as the dirtiest player in football history.
A Nielsen poll taken in 2012 revealed Suh was the least-liked player in the NFL, with only 19-percent of the country liking him. Again, keep in mind the Chargers need public funds to build a stadium, and putting players on the team that upset the public is a no-no. So, let me ask you this:
Would Suh signing with the Chargers cause the same kind of negative reaction in the San Diego community that Adrian Peterson would?
On the field, Peterson is the well-respected professional while Suh is the despised cheap-shot artist.
Off the field, Peterson is the accused child abuser while Suh, aside from some traffic violations (including a ticket for driving 91 MPH in a 55 MPH zone), only shows up on TV when he’s participating in bad reality TV shows.
The question now is this:
Enough San Diegans voiced their opposition to the Chargers bringing Adrian Peterson aboard to give the franchise pause. Do you all feel the same way about Suh, one of the most hated men the league has ever seen? Or, is it OK to go after a man who excels at violence in a violent sport as long as he’s not harming people off the field?
You have the floor. Let me know what you think!
