Detroit Lions: The case for keeping Ezekiel Ansah in 2019
After another season plagued by injury and receiving a massive paycheck, here’s why the Detroit Lions might still want to keep Ezekiel Ansah around in 2019.
You get what you pay for, right? Well, not in the case of the Detroit Lions and their premier pass rusher, defensive end Ezekiel Ansah in 2018. This offseason, Detroit doled out a whopping $17.14 million in order to retain the now 29-year old defender using their franchise tag for this year.
Yet, Ansah has barely seen the field due to a shoulder injury. The sixth-year veteran has played in only six games so far this season, missing six-games straight after playing a total of 21 snaps in the Lions’ Week One matchup against the New York Jets.
Ansah has played in less than 20 percent of the Detroit’s defensive snaps in 2018, racking up a lowly 148 total snaps through 12 games. Factoring in his massive salary, that equals out to nearly $12,000 per snap!
The former fifth overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft has only played a full 16-game schedule twice in his six-year career. Including this season, Ansah has missed a total of 11 games in the past three years combined.
Turning 30-years old next May and considering his recent injury history plus his massive salary, it’s thought that the Lions would likely elect to move on from Ansah in 2019. Yet, there is a case to be made for Detroit actually trying to keep the aging pass rusher in Motown.
Despite his lack of playing time this season, Ansah has had an impact when he’s actually on the field. He’s posted 4.0 sacks in six games so far this year and has recorded an incredible 32.5 total sacks in just under four seasons.
Pro Football Focus’ Nathan Jahnke recently revealed a stat that shows just how impactful Ziggy’s play can be during crucial moments of a game.
"“Ezekiel Ansah has gotten pressure on 29% of his third-down pass rushes this season, which is the highest rate for defensive players.”"
Although the Lions have put themselves in position to draft another elite pass rusher next year due to their poor 4-8 record, you can never have too many playmakers on your roster. And if Ansah hits free agency, he’ll instantly be one of the top players available despite his age, salary demands and injury history.
The fact is, the Detroit Lions need to be adding talent to their roster and not losing it. Although swallowing another big contract on an aging player with several risk factors isn’t ideal, there simply aren’t many players available with the talent that Ezekiel Ansah possesses.