Ezekiel Ansah may have played his last game for the Detroit Lions

Pass rusher Ezekiel 0Ansah appeared to suffer a serious shoulder injury against the Cardinals on Sunday. Has he played his last game for the Detroit Lions?

The Detroit Lions may have won the game, but there’s a good chance that they also lost Ezekiel Ansah. Again.

The oft-injured edge rusher appeared to suffer another shoulder injury in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. And judging by the way Ansah was writhing in pain, it may be a serious one.

Ansah was carted off the field and immediately ruled out for the remainder of the game. Unfortunately, this has been the narrative of his career.

When healthy, Ziggy is an exceptional force on the defensive line. He has played through countless injuries in his five seasons with the Lions and missed numerous games as a result. It is a trend that carried over to this year and reared its ugly head as early as the Lions’ first game of the season.

After a one-week hiatus from the injury report prior to last weekend’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Ansah’s name reappeared this week with an ailing neck. Just when it seemed like this Lions’ franchise player put the injury bug behind him, especially his shoulder, he finds the remainder of his season in jeopardy.

Dr. David Chao’s unofficial diagnosis based on the video review of the injury was grim. With only three games left to play, it’s highly possible that Ansah played his final snap as a Lion.

The Lions slapped the franchise tag on Ansah back in March, deeming it a necessary gamble to retain the pass rusher’s services for one more season. Given his lengthy injury history, a long-term contract extension would have been too risky, if not downright reckless.

Although his injuries will surely limit his value on the open market, a talented edge rusher is a rare and coveted commodity. Ezekiel Ansah will have a fair number of suitors, but it seems very likely the Detroit Lions will not be among them.