Ndamukong Suh left the Lions for the Dolphins in free agency, but he’s not done helping Detroit, in one respect: Suh is still serving as a mentor to one of the Lions’ defensive tackles.
Caraun Reid, a 2014 fifth-round draft pick who backed up Suh last year, spent some time in the offseason working out with him.
“You don’t stop being friends just because a guy signs somewhere else,” Reid told MLive.com.
Reid said he and Suh have lifted weights and watched film together, and Reid is impressed with what Suh does in the offseason.
“I mean, he’s the best at what he does,” Reid said. “He’s the best in the world for a really big reason: He takes everything seriously. He has a great regimen. On the field, he’s relentless. There’s no one way you can describe him. There’s no one attribute. He’s just all-around dominant, and he knows the game. He studies the game. He loves the game. So that’s what I learned from him, and try to emulate.”
Lions coach Jim Caldwell pointed out that Reid is in better physical condition than he was last year, but Reid said there’s more to what Suh has taught him than just that.
“Some could say my physique, and it is different,” he said. “But I would say it’s my mind-set. Just the way I approach the game. I feel more in control, I have a better knowledge of the system and I know what to expect.”
No one can replace Suh in Detroit, but Reid will try, with help from a player who’s now in Miami.
