Ziggy Ansah has made several visits this offseason. The team that secured the most recent visit appears to be the leader to land him.
The Seahawks have emerged as the frontrunners to sign the former Lions sack artist, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Although, the Bills — who also hosted Ansah this offseason — remain interested, with no deal being finalized between the former top-five pick and the Seahawks.
Just shy of his 30th birthday, Ansah met with the Seahawks in late April. The team has an obvious need at defensive end, having traded Frank Clark to the Chiefs. While Seattle selected L.J. Collier with the pick acquired from the Chiefs, the team almost certainly needs veteran help here.
Ansah has also visited the Bills, Ravens and Saints. Buffalo is a bit deeper on the edge than Seattle, but with Shaq Lawson a perpetual trade candidate, the AFC Ansah suitor may possess a slightly bigger need than it would appear. Jerry Hughes is also entering a contract year and his age-31 season. Though, Trent Murphy profiles as a superior option to any of the Seahawks’ veterans at this point. Cassius Marsh and Nate Orchard joined the Seahawks this offseason but profile more as potential depth pieces than starters.
The shoulder injury that dogged Ansah last season required offseason surgery and resulted in this lengthy free agency stay. Ansah’s plan was to wait until at least mid-April to sign. Now that the deadline for UFAs to count against the 2020 compensatory formula has elapsed, it’s understandable Ansah’s market has accelerated. While Ansah may not be cleared until midway through his next team’s training camp, it appears he will decide on a destination soon.
Gitr done Hawks. Woot Murica
I fully expect to see this get done and I won’t be surprised to see them sign Nick Perry or Shane Ray. That defense is at its best when they rotate multiple ends and tackles in sub packages.
O/U for Ansah games played this year? My guess is 9-1/2.
Depends mostly on which team he ends up on, and with what kind of contract, that’s at least as much a set of important variables as his health and determination to build a season to demonstrate his value, wouldn’t you agree?
Trading Frank Clark to not have to pay him but then signing Ansah to what will likely be a similar contract just doesn’t sound right to me. Seattle paid Russell Wilson and will not go out and pay a high priced FA. They used the draft to replace Clark with cheaper younger talent.
Its not going to be even close. Come on now. Ansah gets 2/$30M max and I doubt that much
And it makes perfect sense to do that, save money, get the draft picks and hopefully Ansah as well as Collier can make up for the production lost with Clark.
at best! probably more along the lines of ET money $13M base 1yr with productivity bonuses Ansah doesn’t have the demonstrated upside that Clark has, yet alone the potential he has yet to achieve. Ansah’s only of real value is as a reasonably priced 1 year booster shot that’s beneficial to both the Seahawks and Ansah moving into a future that doesn’t necessarily feature Ansah as a Seahawk. Good Seahawks rushing squads frequently rotate and substitute rushers, they haven’t been able to do that much the last 3-4 years and it shows. There seems to be an old familiar smell to the 2019 player focus especially with a heavy special teams focus that loads you up with big, fast, smart, versatile players in a reinvigoration of the defense. I like.
@jjabrony – Hey bud, I wouldn’t get too upset about it, because there’s no way that Ansah is getting anything close to Frank Clark money..
It’s even possible that Ansah just decides to sign a one year deal. Ansah is 30, and if he can perform at a high level this season, he will be able to set himself up for one more solid pay day.
At the same time though, Ansah cannot be ignorant to the fact that his injuries are starting to stack up. With that being said, while also factoring in Ansah is a wanted man between the Ravens, and especially the Bills and Seattle, and these collective circumstances could lead to Ansah possibly signing a 2 year deal, with either a player option, or a mutual option for the 2nd season.
However, regardless whether it is a 1 year or a 2 year deal he signs, neither Baltimore, Buffalo, nor Seattle are going to be giving Ansah anything resembling a big deal..
I’d say at a MAXIMUM, Ansah could be looking at a 2yr 27mil deal, but it’s most likely Ansah ends up signing with either the Bills or Seahawks on a 1yr deal worth somewhere around 12.5-14 mil..
Whichever team that ends up losing on Ansah, I think they’ll then possibly turn their attention to a slightly cheaper option, yet also the drop off after Ansah is quite noticeable..The remaining options come down to guys like Derrick Morgan, Shane Ray, Nick Perry, Andre Branch, Dion Jordan, or another qualoty starting option on your DL like Muhammed Wilkerson..But, yeah, clearly, it’s slim picking after Ansah, unless you think a guy like Ray has some untapped potential..Idk though..
You guys were absolutely right. I thought Ansah was gonna get overpaid, but instead got a 1 year deal with the Hawks. No dollar figures out yet but regardless what the money is, 1 yr makes way more sense than what I thought he’d get.