Bill Polian weighs in: Ndamukong Suh worth the money

Bill Polian is keeping a close eye on the Ndamukong Suh negotiations in his current role as an analyst for ESPN.

By resume and accomplishments, Bill Polian qualifies as an expert in all phases of player personnel issues in the National Football League.

That includes negotiating contracts, from the basic waiver claims to blockbuster deals such as the one involving the Lions and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Polian, who was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this month for building teams that went to five Super Bowls as chief executive of the Bills, Panthers and Colts, is keeping a close eye on the Suh negotiations in his current role as an analyst for ESPN.

In an interview with Detroitlions.com at the NFL Combine, Polian outlined the critical issues facing both sides – starting with the issue of whether Suh is worth getting a long-term contract that is likely to soar past the $100-million mark as the biggest in history for a defensive player.

Polian left no doubt that Suh is worth the money.

“He’s the best,” Polian said. “He and J.J. Watt (the Texan’s defensive end) are in a class by themselves.”

Suh’s original rookie contract signed in 2010 is up. He will become a free agent on March 10 if he has not signed a new deal with the Lions.

The Lions, who have been negotiating with Suh since the end of the 2013 season, are facing the first hard deadline. They have until March 2 to apply the franchise tag, which would greatly restrict Suh’s ability to get offers from other teams because of the compensation involved. A team signing Suh would have to give the Lions two first-round draft picks if the Lions chose not to match their offer.

The franchise tag, which would give Suh a guaranteed one-year contract worth almost $27 million, is one of the key issues in talks.

Polian went through the steps the Lions face, including using the tag, in analyzing the Suh negotiations with his agent, Jimmy Sexton.

“With a contract like that, you go into it as a club understanding you have two options – three options, really,” Polian said.

“The first is to hopefully reach a long-term deal. The agent probably is not going to allow you to do that right out of the box. He’s going to make things as difficult as possible. That’s his job.

“Second is to tag the player, which I would expect that they would do – if they can’t work anything out. Once that is applied, very often you get something done.”

Option No. 3 is one that Polian does not expect the Lions to exercise.

“The third alternative is to let him go,” Polian said. “I think that’s probably the least palatable and least likely one for the Lions.”

Polian views the franchise tag as a bargaining chip for both sides and can trigger more fruitful negotiations.