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Lindsey ThiryESPN
PHOENIX — Cross the Los Angeles Rams off Ndamukong Suh‘s list of potential suitors in free agency.
At the NFL owners meetings Tuesday, Rams general manager Les Snead said that re-signing the veteran defensive tackle is “pretty much guaranteed to be off the table.”
“Based on the fact that from our budgetary constraints this year, it probably doesn’t fit in his desires,” Snead said.
The Rams are tight on salary-cap space given the recent additions of outside linebacker Dante Fowler, safety Eric Weddle, quarterback Blake Bortles and linebacker Clay Matthews.
The Rams signed Suh to a one-year, $14 million contract last March, and the five-time Pro Bowl selection was considered a one-season rental as the team identified a window to make a deep playoff run.
Playing alongside two-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald, Suh did not make a significant impact throughout much of the regular season with 4.5 sacks and four tackles for loss. The Rams’ defense also allowed a league-worst average of 5.1 yards per rush.
Snead noted Suh’s transition from 3-technique to nose tackle as he moved from playing in 4-3 schemes to defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ 3-4.
“There was an early-in-the down transition to that position change and I do think as the season went on he did improve,” Snead said. “And you felt more of the Ndamukong that maybe you had gotten to know over the years.”
Suh was dominant in a divisional-round win over the Dallas Cowboys and in an NFC Championship Game victory over the New Orleans Saints.