Detroit Lions reach agreement with No. 2 overall pick Ndamukong Suh

Lions reach deal with No. 2 pick Suh

DETROIT — Ndamukong Suh and the Detroit Lions have agreed to terms on a five-year contract worth $40 million guaranteed, giving one of the NFL’s worst defenses a big boost up front.

Both sides were working on the language of the deal and it was expected to be done by Wednesday morning, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The contract could be worth as much as $68 million.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday night on condition of anonymity because the talks were confidential.

Detroit selected the former Nebraska defensive tackle with the second overall pick in April’s draft, hoping he could bolster a defense that has ranked among the league’s all-time worst in points allowed the past two seasons. The Lions won two games last year after becoming the first team in league history to go 0-16.

The 6-foot-4, 307-pound Suh was the first defensive player to win The Associated Press College Football Player of the Year award since its inception in 1998. He had 4½ sacks against Texas in the Big 12 title game and finished the season with 12.

Lions spokesman Bill Keenist said Tuesday night the team had nothing to announce or confirm.

Suh, a Heisman Trophy finalist, was the first defensive tackle to be drafted among the top two picks since Oakland took Darrell Russell in 1997.