Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has boycotted the first two phases of the team’s first offseason program under coach Jim Caldwell. The new coach expects the disconnect to end this week.
“Do I know that he’ll be here? I would anticipate that he would be here,” Caldwell said, via Tim Twentyman of the team’s official website.
“Obviously, he’s a great player and he’s also got great leadership ability as well. So, to have him back in here working amongst the group is going to be a great time for everybody.”
Caldwell said he has spoken to Suh and traded texts with him. In addition to skipping the first two non-practice phases of the offseason program, Suh didn’t show up for a voluntary minicamp.
He’s in the last year of a rookie contract that carries a 2014 cap number of more than $22 million. It’s unclear when or if the contract will be extended. The magnitude of the cap number makes the franchise tag an impossibility for 2015, since the Lions would owe Suh a 20-percent raise over his current cap number.