Terrell Suggs, the all-time sack leader in Ravens history, was claimed by the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, according to multiple reports. Suggs was released Friday by the Arizona Cardinals.
The Chiefs have already clinched the AFC West, but one of their pass rushers, Alex Okafor, suffered a reported pectoral tear Sunday.
It remains to be seen if Suggs will report to the Chiefs, however. Suggs was angling for a return to the Ravens where he spent his first 16 NFL seasons, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. If he played for the Chiefs, Suggs could potentially go ahead his former team (again) in the playoffs.
With the NFL's best record (12-2), the Ravens have the league's lowest waiver claim, meaning every other team had an opportunity Monday to claim Suggs before Baltimore. ESPN's Josina Anderson reported that the Ravens did not submit a claim for Suggs, but could have signed him as a free agent if no other team did.
Suggs is one of the greatest defensive players in Ravens history and holds the franchise record with 132 ½ sacks. He was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 and helped the Ravens win a Super Bowl in 2012.
Although Suggs often talked about wanting to finish his career in Baltimore, the 37-year-old outside linebacker chose to sign with the Cardinals during free agency, even though he said the Ravens made a push to bring him back. Suggs went to college at Arizona State and said one of the factors in signing with the Cardinals was a chance to return home.
Suggs reportedly signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Cardinals and got off to a hot start. Though he didn't get a sack in his Week 2 return to M&T Bank Stadium, he cracked the NFL's top-10 all-time sacks list while in Arizona.
In a reported mutual parting, Suggs was released last week with 5 ½ sacks and 37 tackles through 13 games. In his last four games with Arizona, Suggs was held to ½ sack, and the Cardinals have fallen out of the playoff picture in the NFC.
Perhaps Suggs will be intrigued by the opportunity to make a late-season run with the Chiefs, a legitimate Super Bowl contender who could possible meet the Ravens at some point in the playoffs.
If Suggs elects not to report to Kansas City, speculation would likely continue about a possible reunion with the Ravens. Baltimore outside linebacker Matthew Judon endorsed Suggs' return on social media after he was released.
The Ravens have won 10 straight games and the defense has improved as the season has progressed. Judon is the leader of Baltimore's pass rush, having his best season with a career-high 8 ½ sacks. Tyus Bowser (five sacks) is also having a career year, including a strip sack of New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold last Thursday night.
Rookie outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson (two sacks), a third-round pick this spring, has also blossomed over the last month with increased playing time.
But in addition to pass rushing, Suggs has always been strong setting the edge against the run. With the Chiefs reportedly claiming Suggs, it leaves him with another decision to make about his future.
