“It was just time.”
That’s what Terrell Suggs said in his introductory press conference as a new member of the Arizona Cardinals when asked about leaving the Ravens. Suggs called Baltimore his home for sixteen years, but the longtime Raven felt the need to mix things up as he neared the end of his career. Suggs has ties to Arizona, he moved there while he was in eighth grade and played college football at Arizona State University. Because Suggs made the decision to sign with Arizona this past offseason, it appeared that he played his last game in the purple and black, but new developments put the finality of his career as a Raven in question. Arizona released Suggs this week, and according to reports, the veteran linebacker has his heart set on returning to Baltimore.
Suggs’ release from Arizona was sudden and unexpected. The Cardinals have just three games left on the schedule, and the team is already out of playoff contention. The Cardinals don’t need extra cap space, nor are they gearing up for a run. Suggs faced injury in recent weeks, but Arizona had no real reason to cut him. Suggs recorded 5.5 sacks in 13 games started at the outside linebacker position.
Speculation erupted the moment Suggs was released. Many fans speculated that Suggs demanded a release to return to Baltimore. For a potential reunion in Baltimore, Suggs must first clear the waiver wire. Baltimore picks last by virtue of their 12-2 record. On Saturday, when ESPN NFL Insider, Adam Schefter, dropped a story claiming that sources told him that Suggs is considering not reporting to any team that claims him off waivers, not named the Baltimore Ravens. If true, this is a huge boost for potential remarriage.
It seems that Suggs wants to return to Baltimore, and while thousands of fans are jumping on board with this idea, one must first consider whether the Ravens would even claim Suggs in the first place. Remember, Suggs, rejected Baltimore’s contract offer this offseason. The Ravens would need to open a roster spot by either cutting a player or placing one on the injured reserve. At 12-2 on the season, it’s safe to say the Ravens have something good going on in Baltimore, and too much change could throw a wrench into the program. Then again, this is Terrell Suggs. Bringing him back would hardly change the team in the macroscale. Suggs defines Baltimore’s past, but is the past better left as the past at this point?
I cannot speak for the Ravens organization, but from my understanding of the team and the people who run it, Suggs will be a Raven once more if Baltimore is given the opportunity.
Not only is Suggs one of the franchise’s all-time greats, he still provides value to the Ravens in 2019. Suggs was a sack machine for the Ravens, but he has slowed down in that department. What he still can do is set the edge and stop outside runs. If Baltimore’s defense has any weakness, it’s setting the edge against outside runners. The Ravens pass rush has also been inconsistent all season long, so bringing in the franchise’s all-time sack leader might just provide the consistency Baltimore is looking for. Suggs’ leadership ability, not to mention, is worth its weight in gold. Suggs would be one of the few remaining Ravens from the Super Bowl XLVII team. His experience with the Ravens on that magical run would help his teammates adjust to the bright lights of the postseason.
The only downside to signing Suggs is that the Ravens will have to make room on the roster. Someone will need to be cut or placed on the injured reserve to bring Suggs in. This is not a great situation for Baltimore, as the Ravens do not want to change much heading into the postseason, but if Baltimore wants Suggs back in town, the Ravens will need to make a sacrifice. It is difficult to speculate who could be the one kicked off the roster, but the first name that comes to mind is Chris Board. Board suffered a concussion last week against the Buffalo Bills, missed all practices leading up to Baltimore’s game against the Jets, and was inactive for that Thursday night matchup. The inside linebacker could end up on the injured reserve to close the season, and Suggs on the roster to open the playoffs.
