Defensive tackle Warren Sapp amassed 96.5 sacks over a 13-year NFL career with the Buccaneers and Raiders. He's one of the great pass-rushing defensive tackles all-time.
The current NFL Network analyst was asked Wednesday to evaluate the play of Lions defensive tackle 
"The thing that I think affected him was, he'd play such a power game (as a rookie), grabbing people and throwing them out of the way," Sapp said.
"He had rotator cuff surgery (before this season). I had one on each shoulder. I kind of know what that's like. There was no offseason and no rehab and all the things he needed to do to be able to get that strength back."
Suh missed the Pro Bowl last season to have surgery on his right shoulder after playing through it as a rookie. Sapp said he saw a less powerful Suh this season and thought offenses figured out his game.
"He's never been a hip thrower and a true pass rusher, in the sense," Sapp said of Suh. "He was just overpowering and throwing people out of the way. People didn't understand that he was just going to go through them, that is the way he rushes.
"From his first year to second year, he hasn't worked on anything. You are looking at the same guy rushing in the same fashion that he was when he first got in the league. I understand that you'll do it your first year because no one has seen it. Second year, you better come show me something, son, you came with the same bull rush.
"All I have to do (as a offensive lineman) is give myself a nice base and get ready to go."
Sapp also remarked that he thought the Lions weren't creative enough with Suh along the defensive front. He said he was so frustrated seeing Suh line up in the same spot all the time that he sent Lions general manager Martin Mayhew a text message during the season. Sapp and Mayhew were teammates in Tampa Bay during the end of Mayhew's playing days.
"I was like, ‘Does somebody want to put him on the right side a little more,'" Sapp said of the text. "You put the man in a position where people have wham blocks because they know he's right there every time.
"When I was here and there, (offenses) had to map this out. Are they going to play under or over? Okay, they're in over, so he's on the strong side. Sometimes I was on the weak side. (Suh) is right there every time."
The Lions move Suh around more than Sapp gives them credit, but he does predominately play on the left side.
Suh, nor the Lions, ever gave any indication that his shoulder was an issue this season, and he never showed up on the injury report with it.
"He didn't have some of those splash plays that he had last year, but he played pretty solid – played consistently throughout the season," Mayhew said of Suh. "I was happy with him and I wouldn't trade him for anybody else."
