The Buffalo Bills (and the New Orleans Saints) will host free-agent edge rusher Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah on a visit, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Ansah will undergo a physical during the visit, important because he’s recovering from shoulder surgery.
Ansah, 30, has played six seasons in the NFL, all with the Detroit Lions. During that time he notched 48 sacks, ten forced fumbles, and 218 combined tackles (60 TFLs). In recent years, a plague of injuries have affected his availability on Sundays. He’s dealt with ankle, back, knee, and shoulder injuries, and his most recent injury (a shoulder) limited him to seven games and only two starts in the 2018 season.
The Lions franchise tagged Ansah after 2017, paying him $17 million for the past year. Before that, he played through the entirety of his first round rookie contract. Pass rushers are highly valued in free agency (especially with the best players tagged and off the market), but Ansah might need to settle for a short term prove-it deal this year, and the Bills could be the benefactors.