The Rams D would have been bottom third last year without AD.
No division title, no playoffs.
He led the league in QB pressures. He had more than edge defenders....from the DT position.
IMO, that negates any argument about positional value.
Edge defenders are highly paid b/c they rush the QB. If you rush the QB better than they do, you're worth at least their money.
A huge chunk of the sacks Longacre, Quinn, Barwin, and company picked up were b/c AD flushed the QB into their hands.
He is the engine of the D.
So yeah, he's absolutely worth it.
If I was AD's agent I'm asking for highest paid defensive player money anyway, even without the Suh contract.