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Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata is headed to the Detroit Lions in a trade, the team announced Tuesday. The Lions lost superstar defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in free agency, but may have made up for much of Suh's loss by acquiring the 31-year-old former Baltimore nose tackle.
The Ravens will receive a fourth- and fifth-round pick as compensation, according to the NFL Network's Albert Breer.
The Lions had one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL last season with Suh as a center piece, finishing second in the NFL in total defense. He ultimately signed with the Miami Dolphins on a massive contract, leaving the Lions, briefly, waving in the wind.
Ngata is roughly three years older than Suh, and may not have Suh's pure playmaking ability -- Ngata's career high is 5.5 sacks in a season, whereas Suh recorded 8.5 just last year. At 335 pounds, Ngata is still considered one of the league's elite run stuffers, however, and should command the double teams necessary to allow talented pass rushers, like third-year Ziggy Ansah, to get to the quarterback.
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