Some good Seahawks news: Ziggy Ansah will be active for training camp
By Lee Vowell
In a week that hasn’t been great for Seahawks breaking news, here is some. Edge rusher Ziggy Ansah will be ready for training camp.
Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported on Wednesday that Seahawks offseason free agent signee and edge rusher Ziggy Ansah will be active for training camp. Since Ansah signed with Seattle there has been speculation that he might not be ready for week one of the regular season. With Ansah being listed as active for day one of training camp, it seems likely that Ansah will be ready to go week one.
After it was reported that defensive tackle Jarran Reed would be suspended for the first six games of 2019 for a domestic assault issue, it became even more important that the Seahawks have as many pass rushers healthy as possible early in the season. Ansah was expected to be a replacement for traded Frank Clark. He was already important and now even more so.
Ansah being active may be a sign that he is even further ahead from his recovery from shoulder surgery. He suffered the shoulder injury last year. Ansah, of course, shouldn’t see a ton of time in preseason play because he doesn’t really need all those meaningless reps. But the fact that he will be on the practice field is extremely important.
Ansah has been a somewhat fragile player in his career, but he has proven when he is healthy he is very good at his job. And his job is pressuring the opposing quarterback. In his career he has 48 sacks in 80 career games. This is an average of .6 sacks per game. By comparison, Calais Campbell of the Jaguars, another revered defensive end, has 81.5 sacks in 170 career games. This averages out to .48 sacks per game. Ansah is excellent when healthy.
#Seahawks DE Ezekiel Ansah will be on the active roster to start training camp, source said. Expect limited work early as he continues to rebuild strength in his shoulder. They knew that’d take time when they guaranteed him $6 million. All about having him ready for the season.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 24, 2019
Keeping Ansah healthy is the key. Him not playing much in the preseason is a good thing, especially now that Reed is out. The Seahawks did sign Earl Mitchell on Wednesday to help replace Reed early in the season, but Mitchell is no pass rusher.
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In a week of not-so-great news, the mention of Ansah most likely being ready week one is uplifting. Seattle can take all the good news it can get. And who knows? Maybe the team will supply even more if they say that Bobby Wagner has signed an extension too?