Kansas City has bolstered their depth on defense by claiming future Hall of Fame linebacker Terrell Suggs off waivers per NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
Kansas City made the move after an M.R.I. confirms defensive end Alex Okafor tore a pectoral muscle during Sunday’s contest with the Denver Broncos. It’s believed that Okafor sustained the injury after sacking Broncos quarterback Drew Lock, after which, Okafor left the game and never returned.
Suggs, 37, was released by the Arizona Cardinals last Friday after initially signing a one-year deal with the Cards nine months prior.
In 13 games in Arizona, Suggs recorded 37 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles before getting released which isn’t the same type of production we’re normally used to seeing from him.
Suggs is mostly known for his time with the Baltimore Ravens where in 16 seasons, he won a championship over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 47 and was seven-time pro bowler before joining the Cardinals in 2019.
He now joins Andy Reid in Kansas City with the Chiefs’ newly resurgent defense and has a real chance at going on another championship run before he calls it a career.
However, according to league sources from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Suggs wants to return to Baltimore and would strongly consider not reporting to any other team that claimed him if they weren’t the Ravens.
According to ESPN’s Josina Anderson, Baltimore did not put a claim in on Suggs, believing “it wouldn’t make sense,” because the team is last on the waiver wire order.
Assuming Suggs reports to Kansas City, he likely won’t be a starter in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense but his veteran presence and leadership will be an asset for the young guys on the Chiefs roster plus he should still have enough left in the tank to contribute in a limited role when necessary.
But again, that’s if he reports to the Chiefs so we’ll just have to see how things play out.
