Until Ndamukong Suh hired a new agent, there was little the Detroit Lions could do to get an extension done for the defensive tackle.

Several weeks after firing his long-time agents, Suh hired CAA NFL agent Jimmy Sexton on Friday (pictured with client Tim Tebow) according to a report from Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal.

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew had hoped that Suh would’ve hired someone before the NFL Combine so they could start the work on the extension, but it just didn’t happen then.

Suh’s contract for 2014 would count for $22.4 million against the salary cap. An extension would reduce that cap number and give the Lions more cap space to work with in free agency which starts on Tuesday.

Sexton represents former Lions coach Jim Schwartz along with four NFL coaches — Gus Bradley, Dennis Allen, Rex Ryan and Doug Marrone, according to SportsIllustrated.com.

He also represents several high-profile college football coaches including Nick Saban. He represented both coaches — Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn — in the BCS championship game in January.

Reports came out early in the week that Suh was considering representing himself in negotiations. It would have been a risky proposition for such a long-term, big-money extension.

(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)