ALLEN PARK -- Some would be intimidated by living in the shadow of a player such as Ndamukong Suh. Not Haloti Ngata.

He is embracing the expectations that come with succeeding the greatest Lions defensive player in a generation -- so much so, he wants to do it long term.

Ngata said Wednesday at his introductory news conference at Lions headquarters that he's open to signing an extension that keeps him in Detroit for the foreseeable future.

He has one year left on his current deal.

"Yeah, definitely. We're open to everything," Ngata said. "Just being here so far, I'm getting really comfortable already. And once I meet the guys, I know I'll just want to stay here. So if an extension comes to mind, that'd be awesome. If not, then it is what it is."

When does he expect those negotiations to occur?

"Whenever my agent starts talking to them," Ngata said. "I don't know -- I just want to play."

Ngata spent the first nine years of his career in Baltimore, and anchored some of the best defenses the league has seen in the past decade. He was named an All-Pro five times and won a Super Bowl.

Detroit acquired him in a trade with Baltimore on Monday, once it became clear its pursuit of Suh had failed. It gave up a fourth- and fifth-round pick to get Ngata, and also received a seventh-rounder in return.

Ngata remains one of the league's premier run-stoppers, but there are questions about whether this is a short- or long-term solution to Suh's departure. He is 31 years old and has only one year left on his deal.

But the 340-pounder insists he has about three good years left, and tried to work out an extension for that long with the Ravens. But the team wanted more years, and an agreement was never struck.

Baltimore, facing a $16 million cap hit, likely would have cut Ngata had Detroit not swooped in. The Lions will be on the hook for $8.5 million of that.

And now that he's here, Ngata wants to stay.

"I'm toward the end of my career. I don't know how much longer I'm going to play. But I'm just willing, as long as my body feels good, I'm going to keep on playing," he said. "If the Lions want to do something, then I'd love to stay here."

Ngata plays mostly the 3-technique -- which was Suh's position -- and is expected to fill that role with the Lions. He said he didn't know anything about a possible move to a 3-4, which he played in with Baltimore.

He brushed off concerns about living in the shadow of a dominating player such as Suh.

"He's made Pro Bowls. I've made Pro Bowls," Ngata said. "I just play my game, and hopefully it helps the team win."

Ngata plans to relocate his family to Detroit, including his wife and three children -- Solomon, Maximus and Colt. He says Solomon, who is 5, is particularly excited about the move.

"I just told him I'm getting traded, and he was like, 'What do you mean you're getting traded?'" Ngata said. "I told him I was going to play for the Detroit Lions, and he was like, 'Dad, they're blue, right?'

"He was excited about that."

General manager Martin Mayhew provided an opening statement but would not take questions about Ngata or anything else. President Tom Lewand was not in attendance.

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