All across the Lions' defense, a group of tackles, safeties and linebackers are hoping Ndamukong Suh signs a new deal to stay in Detroit.
When one player makes so many other jobs easier, the nostalgia becomes that much more significant.
"I want him back. He's such a key part to everything we do that we hope that we can get him back," safety James Ihedigbotold The Detroit News this week. "It's the nature of the business, so it's really out of my hands and what I think really doesn't matter."
He added: "Suh's been doing this for years in the league, even when the Lions weren't that highly ranked. He's always been a dominant player," Ihedigbo said. "You can't take away his talent and what he's done and say it's the scheme -- that's unfair to him."
Ihedigbo was speaking with the perspective of the years he spent in Baltimore's defense. He's seen how a scheme can revolve around a powerful defensive tackle and knows that Suh is a linchpin Detroit cannot afford to lose.
Designing a new defense -- which is what the Lions will have to do if they cannot re-sign Suh -- will be a fascinating process and a true measure of defensive coordinator Teryl Austin's rise among head coaching circles.
But the fact that pleas like Ihedigbo's are out there means that everyone is fine with the way things are.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast breaks down all the franchise tags and discusses where Ndamukong Suh will land. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
