Ndamukong Suh Teases Buccaneers Return After Todd Bowles Replaces Bruce Arians as HC

Free-agent defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh suggested Thursday that he is interested in returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Suh took to Twitter to congratulate Todd Bowles on being named the Bucs' new head coach and added that the Buccaneers were still "one man light on talent," which was undoubtedly in reference to himself:

Bowles was elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach on Wednesday after Bruce Arians announced he was stepping down to take a job in the Bucs' front office.

The 35-year-old Suh spent the past three seasons in Tampa, helping the Buccaneers win a Super Bowl for the 2020 season.

Suh was the second overall pick in the 2010 draft, and he spent five years with the Detroit Lions before stints with the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams and Bucs.

He enjoyed his greatest individual success in Detroit, earning the 2010 Defensive Rookie of the Year award, four Pro Bowl nods and three first-team All-Pro selections.

He also had three seasons with at least eight sacks while he was a member of the Lions, including a career-high 10 as a rookie.

Suh never quite lived up to the six-year, $114 million contract he signed with the Dolphins in free agency, but he did become a key piece for the Bucs in recent years.

After posting a career-low 2.5 sacks in 2019, he bounced back in 2020 with 44 tackles, six sacks, nine tackles for loss and 19 quarterback hits en route to Tampa winning it all.

He was also productive last season with 27 tackles, six sacks, seven tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits, although he played more of a specialized role, as his 63 percent of snaps played marked a career low.

The Bucs do seem to have a clear need along the defensive line since Suh, Steve McLendon and Pat O'Connor are all free agents from last year's team.

As of now, Vita Vea, William Gholston and Rakeem Nunez-Roches are the top Bucs defensive linemen in position to return in 2022, and there is virtually no depth behind them.

Since quarterback Tom Brady made the decision to come out of retirement and return to the Buccaneers for the 2022 season, several free agents have also decided to return to Tampa.

That includes wide receiver Chris Godwin, center Ryan Jensen, running back Leonard Fournette and cornerback Carlton Davis.

The combination of Brady returning and Bowles getting promoted is likely highly appealing to Suh, as is the possibility of winning a second championship late in his career.