First-year Detroit Lions coach Jim Caldwell could face his first crisis with the franchise on Tuesday. That's when defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh may or may not show up for the Lions' organized team activities.
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Caldwell told MLive.com Sunday that he expects the 27-year-old Suh to attend OTAs at the team headquarters. Suh already has missed voluntary minicamp last month.
"I would anticipate that he will be here," Caldwell told MLive.com.
According to MLive.com, Suh has a spotty record in attending any kind of team volunteer workouts, preferring to work out with private trainers in Oregon. His preference to not to participate in the team activities may not endear him to his teammates, but he does have three Pro Bowl appearances and two All-Pro selections in four seasons.
He sent his trainers to Detroit to get his training regimen cleared with the new coaching staff.
With a new coach, however, has come a new defensive scheme, and Suh has been criticized for refusing to join the team because he has not attempted to learn the new scheme.
Despite no assurances, at least mentioned publicly, that Suh will be at the Lions facility on Tuesday, Caldwell talked as if Suh's arrival is a done deal.
"Obviously, he's a great player. And he also has great leadership ability as well," Caldwell said. "So to have him back here working amongst the group is going to be a great time for everybody."
MLive.com stated that Suh has not addressed the media since the second-to-last week of the 2013 season. He didn't hold his regular weekly news conference before the season-ending game against the Minnesota Vikings.
He was not in his locker room after the game and did not accompany his teammates for locker clean-out day. And he has not responded to several requests for comment.
Caldwell said his absence won't have an effect his role as a team captain, that began last season.
"I've been a few places in my time, and I can cite you so many different examples of guys that weren't here during a time period that did a tremendous job with leadership and those kinds of things," Caldwell said. "I don't expect him to be any different.
"I think he'll fit into that category, as opposed to any other category you would like to slide him into."
Critics may wait until Tuesday to start exploring other categories.
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