Should the Detroit Lions use the franchise tag on DT Ndamukong Suh?

The Detroit Lions have until 4 p.m. on Monday to slap the franchise or transition tag on All-Pro defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. MLive.com reporters Justin Rogers and Kyle Meinke give their thoughts on the critical offseason decision.

Justin Rogers' take

In 2011, the Lions looked like a team on the rise. The offense was one of the league's best and quarterback Matthew Stafford delivered one of the finest statistical campaigns in NFL history.

Instead of building on that momentum with a series of roster upgrades in the offseason, the Lions focused on continuity, using their cap space to re-sign their own free agents, such as Jeff Backus, DeAndre Levy and Stephen Tulloch. The team also inked Calvin Johnson to a monster extension.

In the draft, Detroit spent its first two picks on offensive tackle Riley Reiff, even though it was clear he wouldn't start that season, and a wide receiver coming off an ACL injury in Ryan Broyles.

The Lions learned a hard lesson, taking a massive step back in 2012. One year after going 10-6 and making the postseason, the team stumbled to a 4-12 finish.

But what does that have to do with franchising Suh?

Well, the Lions currently have approximately $125 million committed to the 2015 salary cap (projected at $143 million), following the release of running back Reggie Bush. The only other veteran they could cut to create significant space, after verbally committing to retaining defensive end Jason Jones, is linebacker Stephen Tulloch. That would clear another $3.2 million.

Based on current projections, the Lions would still need to find another $6 million in space to fit Suh under the cap, or $9 million assuming they keep Tulloch.

That can be done by restructuring Stafford and Johnson's deals. In fact, a max restructure for Johnson alone would clear enough space. Detroit could create another $5.8 million by re-working Stafford's deal.

But at what cost?

The Lions would still have plenty or roster holes to fill and a draft class to fit under the cap. With all that money tied up in Suh, the team just wouldn't have enough to upgrade depth via free agency. Plus, that money you freed up via restructures, it just gets kicked down the road, to be added to future caps.

In 2012, the biggest free agent the Lions brought on board was cornerback Jacob Lacey. They can't afford to make a similar mistake in 2015, when the organization once again appears on the upswing.

This isn't saying don't sign Suh. By all means, throw all the money you need into getting a long-term deal worked out with the superstar defender. But the Lions can't afford the one-year cap hit the franchise tag would cost. It would significantly limit Detroit from making the other necessary upgrades needed to move the franchise forward in 2015.

Kyle Meinke's take

Suh had the league's biggest cap hit last year at $22.4 million. And now we're talking about whether the Lions should jump that to $36.6 million?

Listen, the Lions are doing what they have to when saying they would use the tag here. They've ceded basically all of their leverage in these negotiations, due to past restructures that have made the tag so prohibitive in the first place, and threatening to use it is their only card left.

But, realistically, this isn't going to happen. Nor should it.

Suh is the Lions' most valuable player, and I've long been a proponent of Detroit inking this guy to a long-term deal. Including one that tops J.J. Watt's, even though Watt is the superior player. Suh is that valuable to these Lions.

But $26.9 million -- plus the $9.7 million they're already on the hook for -- is straight lunacy.

That's more than the cap hits for Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford combined. Factor in Suh, and that trio would count for $73.9 million of Detroit's cap -- about 51.7 percent. (Barring restructures, which would be inevitable if the tag is deployed.)

I get the idea of doing what you can to retain your best players. But the Lions would be putting themselves in a bad spot long term by going this route.

Dollars to doughnuts Detroit knows this anyway, and all this talk about the franchise tag is just more posturing in a negotiation that continues to be more difficult than the club ever imagined.