When it comes to Ndamukong Suh's pending record-breaking free agency tour, Albert Haynesworth has been there before. And he has pearls of wisdom to share.
Haynesworth's promising NFL career entered a tailspin after leaving the Tennessee Titans to sign a seven-year, $100 million deal with the Washington Redskins in 2009. Now out of football, Haynesworth doesn't want Suh to commit the career-damning mistakes he made.
"I think, honestly, the difference between me and him is that I didn't want to leave the Titans," Haynesworth said in a radio interview on ESPN Nashville. "I wanted to stay because I was very close with (defensive line coach Jim Washburn), and it was just fun playing for him and to have the guys that I played with.
"The Titans, really, upper management really forced the hand of me moving. I think, with Suh, I don't think he really wants to stay, and I don't think the Lions want to keep him, either. It's going to be a little different, and what he's got to do is study and pick the right place and, hopefully, it works out."
Like with Suh and the Detroit Lions, the Titans didn't use their franchise tag on Haynesworth, which led to his free agency. Both men are defensive tackles.
Haynesworth's advice to Suh is to play for Washburn.
"If I was Suh, I would wait and see what Coach Wash does, because if he stays with Wash, then Wash can get him into the Hall of Fame," Haynesworth said.
Washburn has been the Lions' defensive line since 2013. He remains listed as part of the Lions' coaching staff.
If Suh decides to go elsewhere, Haynesworth said he should be smart and do his homework.
"He needs to really study who he's thinking about going to," Haynesworth said. "Also, you need to kind of look at the track record of the coach, if he's going to stay. Talk to some former players just to get the inside scoop about it, and make sure that they play the exact same defense that Detroit (does).
"That was one thing that was totally different when I went to Washington. They said on the phone that we're going to do the same exact things, but it didn't come out anything close to that. So you've got to look at the track record of the team before he goes and signs."