Detroit Lions: Ziggy Ansah expected to sign franchise tender this week
By Zac Snyder
The Detroit Lions should have their franchise defensive end back under contract with the expectation that Ziggy Ansah will sign his tender this week.
There was little doubt that Ziggy Ansah would play for anyone other than the Detroit Lions in 2018 after the team designated him their franchise player shortly before the NFL Combine. Franchise tag situations can sometimes lead to drama but that won’t be the case with Ansah and the Lions.
A franchise player isn’t actually under contract until he signs his tender. That means he can sit out much of the offseason penalty-free. Cliff Avril took advantage of that the last time the Lions used the franchise tag.
That hasn’t happened with Ansah so far, as his absence from the first week of voluntary workouts is due more to logistics than any dissension or bad blood. After spending some time in his native Ghana, Ansah will reportedly be in town this week and will sign his tender.
Ian Rapoport broke the news on Twitter this morning.
#Lions star DE Ziggy Ansah is returning from Ghana today and will report to work for Detroit tomorrow, source said. He’s going to sign his $17.143M franchise tag and participate in new coach Matt Patricia’s first offseason conditioning program.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 16, 2018
It’s a good sign for the Lions as even players under long-term contracts are not officially required to be in attendance at this stage in the offseason program. But of course, attendance is highly encouraged such that just how “voluntary” these workouts are for most players can be up for debate or with some heavy winking.
But Ansah is one of the defense’s most high-profile player and will be looked upon as a leader. Even though his long-term outlook with the team remains very much in doubt, it doesn’t look like he will let that keep him from being all in as the Lions make a big transition with a new coaching staff.
There hasn’t been any reports of traction on a long-term deal between the Lions and Ansah so it very well may turn out he plays this season on the franchise tag. But now that Ansah will be back in town perhaps the two sides will draw closer. And as they say, deadlines spur action. The opportunity to reach a long-term deal will go away in mid-July.