Ndamu-gone Suh? Bucs look to get younger at defensive tackle

TAMPA — They left the light on for Tom Brady. They’re keeping the door open for Ndamukong Suh.

That’s because, at this point his key to the Bucs facility probably doesn’t work anymore.

Aside from a two-game suspension (for stomping on the arm of Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith) in 2011, Suh has never missed a regular-season game in his career. He had six sacks last season and is one of the anchors to one of the NFL’s best run defenses.

So why is Suh still an unrestricted free agent when he has expressed his preference to rejoin the team under new head coach Todd Bowles?

Because Suh is 35, and the Bucs want to get younger at the position.

Also, Suh isn’t going to work for free. He’s averaged $9.15 million per year in annual salary with the Bucs the past three seasons.

Tampa Bay re-signed William Gholston, 30, to a one-year, $4.5 million contract. He essentially can play the same position as Suh if need be.

“We leave the door open on a lot of cases, whether they’re ex-Bucs or have been with us or players that are on the street,” Bucs general manager Jason Licht said when asked about talks with Suh. “We’ll always keep doors open, and we’ll always keep constant communication about that.”

But in the draft business, this is what is known as a tell.

By not re-signing Suh, the Bucs are strongly hinting that not only is defensive tackle one of their biggest needs, it might be the position of the player they select with the 27th overall pick in the NFL draft next Thursday.

The Bucs locked up defensive tackle Vita Vea with a four-year, $71 million contract last season. You’d have to clear a space for a first-round pick to play next to him, and that wouldn’t happen if Suh was on the roster.

“We obviously think very highly of Vita (Vea), Will (Gholston),” Licht said. “We think Nacho (Rakeem Nunez-Roches) is a very good player. And we’ve got some young guys that we’ve had in here that we feel pretty good about. (They) have a chance to ascend and get better.

“You always want to upgrade your trenches. It’s a position that we’ll continue to look for, but we have the draft, we have a period after the draft, there’s still trades. The trade deadline’s not for months and months away. So there’s different avenues and different paths that we can take to upgrade there and upgrade our depth and get more players in there.”

But make no mistake, the Bucs are targeting defensive tackle in the draft.

“Well, you have to keep that in mind, but you also never really want to push a need, or a perceived need, too high up,” Licht said. “That’s where you start making mistakes.”

Here are some of the interior defensive linemen who may fall to the Bucs.

1. Devonte Wyatt, Georgia

Size: 6 feet 3/304 pounds

Measurable of note: When you play on an otherworldly defensive line as talented as the one the Bulldogs produced, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. DE/DT Trevon Walker is a top-five pick. DT Jordan Davis, at 6-6, 340, is one of the most intriguing players in the draft.

Wyatt really shined at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. He illustrated his ability to rush the passer utilizing some rare strength. That made scouts and coaches spring to attention. But his athleticism wowed everyone at the NFL scouting combine, when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.77 seconds.

Wyatt would instantly plug the run next to Vea. But his upside as a pass rusher is exciting.

2. Logan Hall, Houston

Size: 6-6/283

Measurable of note: Hall played primarily at defensive tackle for the Cougars but also could slide to defensive end in a 3-4 defense. He emerged as a big playmaker and earned All-American Athletic Conference honors with 6-1/2 sacks and a team-high 13-1/2 tackles for loss in 13 games.

Hall knows how to use his length to shed blocks well. He could be an eventual starter but probably would start as a rotational player as a rookie.

3. Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma

Size: 6-3½/290

Measurable of note: Winfrey was kind of a late bloomer, transferring to Oklahoma after two years at Iowa Western Community College. Athletically, he stood out with a 4.89 40-yard dash. But his production on the field was notable with 42 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, six sacks and three passes defensed for the Sooners.

Winfrey dominated at the Senior Bowl in both practice and the game. He was named the game’s MVP after recording five tackles, three for a loss and two sacks. Like Wyatt and Hall, he made one of the Bucs’ top 30 visits.

4. Phidarian Mathis, Alabama

Size: 6-4/310

Measurable of note: Mathis played at that NFL factory known as Alabama and comes highly recommended by coach Nick Saban. Mathis was a second-team All-SEC performer last year, recording 53 tackles, 12 for loss and nine sacks. He is a wide body with long arms. His pass rush has a lot of room for improvement and he could be a rotational player to start, but he has the pedigree to be successful in the NFL.

5. Neil Farrell Jr., Louisiana State

Size: 6-4/330

Measurable of note: Farrell could be a great option for the Bucs in the middle rounds. Let’s be honest, the Bucs love LSU defensive players. Farrell is a space eater who would form an incredible duo with Vea on run downs. He has a surprisingly quick first step to shoot the gaps but doesn’t have a ton of short-area quickness. In fact, he ran the slowest three-cone drill at the NFL combine. He could be a very good combination of size, upside and value.

• • •

Sign up for the Bucs RedZone newsletter to get updates and analysis on the latest team and NFL news from Bucs beat writer Joey Knight.

Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook.