NFL Free Agency: DT Haloti Ngata re-signs with Lions
NFL Free Agency: DT Haloti Ngata re-signed with the Detroit Lions on a two-year contract. Was that the right move for him?
Haloti Ngata’s first season in Detroit since being traded to the Lions from the Baltimore Ravens apparently went very well, and now they are re-signing the veteran for two more years.
Haloti Ngata's deal in Detroit: 2 years, $12 million, $6.25 million in 2016, $6 million fully guaranteed.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 10, 2016
Basically, what this is is a one-year deal with a team option for a second. The Lions guaranteed Ngata half of his contract, and we’ll see what happens after 2016.
He hasn’t played a full 16 game season since 2011, and is obviously not the dominant player he once was, but Ngata is still very capable of being a great run stuffer and actually had more sacks (2.5) last year than he did in any of the last three seasons.
Here’s what our Erik Lambert said about Ngata:
For the first time since being drafted 12th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft, Ngata donned the jersey of a team not named the Baltimore Ravens. Ngata has never been known for filling the stat sheet but his presence is more felt as a run plugger. His best days are behind him, yes. Yet, even at 32 years of age, Ngata and his 6’4 335 pound frame can still be relied on as a powerful run-stuffing defensive tackle as well as a vocal leader in the locker room.
After getting off to a slow start in 2015, Ngata finished extremely well last year for the Lions and will be a really nice value at $6 million per season. This is a good move for the Lions to keep a veteran presence around and a player with a championship pedigree.