Ndamukong Suh Wasn't Pursued by Cowboys Before Eagles Contract, Jerry Jones Says
November 18, 2022
The Dallas Cowboys did not express interest in signing veteran defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh before he agreed to a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday.
"No, we didn't have contact," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, per The Athletic's Jon Machota. "I like where we are with our big boys in the middle."
The Cowboys' interior defensive line is anchored by Osa Odighizuwa, Johnathan Hankins, who was acquired at the trade deadline from the Las Vegas Raiders, Neville Gallimore and Carlos Watkins. Still, they could have used someone like Suh to help shore up the unit.
While the Cowboys have the NFL's third-best pass defense, allowing just 181.7 passing yards per game, their defense against the run has been putrid as they're allowing 143.1 yards per game on the ground, which is the fourth-worst mark in the league.
Of course, the Cowboys believe some of their defensive issues can be solved internally, but the addition of Suh, a five-time Pro Bowler who posted six sacks, one fumble recovery, 27 tackles, seven tackles for a loss and 13 quarterback hits in 2021, would have helped the defense tighten things up through the remainder of the season.
That said, the Eagles had a more pressing need at the position after losing Jordan Davis and Marlon Tuipulotu to injuries that have landed them on injured reserve. Over the last two weeks, the Philadelphia defense has allowed 320 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
But considering the Eagles also play in the NFC East, the signing of Suh could come back to haunt the Cowboys, who are third in the division with a 6-3 record and will face Philadelphia again on Christmas Eve.
In addition, Dallas will face some of the NFL's top rushing teams before the regular season comes to a close, including the New York Giants, which rank third in the league averaging 164.8 yards per game on the ground.
The Cowboys are still in a playoff position, but if the defense doesn't improve before the end of the regular season, it's hard to imagine Dallas making a deep run in the postseason.