The Detroit Lions made the playoffs last year, and part of the reason was because they fielded one of the best defenses in the entire NFL. While that defense featured several good players, Ndamukong Suh was unquestionably the most dominant.

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Now Suh could potentially end up as a free agent if he and the Lions cannot work out an extension, and a sizable bidding war appears likely if he hits the market, according to FanSided. Both the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Oakland Raiders are expected to pursue Suh if he hits the market, and his price on the open market could come in well above $100 million.

For the Lions, if they want to continue building on the success of last season, they would be wise not to let Suh hit the market. Not only could they potentially get him for several million dollars cheaper than if they had to bid against a team like Oakland with tons of cap room, but the defense will likely take a major step backward if it loses its best player.

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For all of the controversy about whether or not Suh is a dirty player, nobody can argue with his ability. Last year, he was the best pass rusher and best run defender Detroit had, which is a claim that only one other defender can make - J.J. Watt.

While Watt is widely considered to be the best defensive player in the league, a solid case could be made for Suh as the second-best defender. He plays nearly every snap, and he affects the majority of those plays, even if only by drawing the attention of multiple offensive linemen.

If Suh leaves Detroit, they will likely have to revamp their entire defensive scheme, and there are rumors that they may even move from a 4-3 to a 3-4. Major schematic changes are not exactly great things for teams coming off playoff appearances and looking to push toward a title. Despite Suh's reputation and his prohibitive cost, he is worth more to Detroit than any other franchise, and they would be wise to pay what it takes to keep him around.