Detroit Lions free agency predictions: Ziggy Ansah
By Zac Snyder
Why he could be gone
The Patriot Way.
The New England Patriots have a knack for moving on from a player at just the right time as it is far better to be a year early than a year late. Trading away players like Richard Seymour or Chandler Jones or not re-signing Darrelle Revis might have shocked outside observers at the time but the Patriot machine marches on, restocking themselves with new talent.
The Lions have been net-gainers in free agency in two offseasons under Bob Quinn but that isn’t likely to be his long-term plan. It figures that at some point Quinn will be content to play the free agency game to bolster his draft war chest with compensatory picks and letting Ansah walk in free agency would be a first step in that as Ansah is likely to find someone willing to give him a big contract.
As Patricia steps into the head coach’s office, there will be changes to the defense and that will include changes in personnel. Ansah is a big enough talent that a guy like Patricia could make easy use of him, but it remains to be seen if the Lions are willing to do that at the level of financial commitment it would take to keep him in town.
Add in that Ansah will already be 29-years old next season and Ansah’s next contract will be a gamble on his longevity. A late start in football means less wear and tear on his body but injuries have already been what has limited his productivity. Do the Lions want to bank on that trend reversing as Ansah moves into his thirties?
It would be a gamble to move on, but times are definitely changing with the Lions. The last impact defensive line player to leave, Ndamukong Suh did so largely because of front office incompetence, over-confidence or a combination of the two. The Lions aren’t in that situation with Ansah, but the end result could be the same if they choose to spend their money elsewhere.