One down, two to go.
The Seahawks needed three veteran defensive linemen. They got Ziggy Ansah, the best pass rusher available (if healthy), so now they need two more.
If healthy, Ansah will be a good investment — reportedly $9 million, with $3.75 million in incentives. The Seahawks obviously think he will be available for the full season. But he reportedly won’t be ready until mid-August, and some apparently think he might miss the first month of the season.
For that reason, the Hawks need to add another outside rusher to go with Ansah and the run-stuffing tackle they also need.
The Hawks have lost three top pass rushers over the past two offseasons. They basically replaced Michael Bennett with first-rounder L.J. Collier and now Frank Clark with Ansah (for 2019). But they still have to find Cliff Avril’s doppelganger.
They also added Cassius Marsh and are hoping for much more from second-year ends Jacob Martin and Rasheem Green, who ideally will be able to come along behind Ansah and another outside rusher — maybe Nick Perry, who also made a free-agent visit to VMAC and might come even cheaper than Ansah.
Tackle options who have visited include Al Woods, Corey Liuget, Allen Bailey and Earl Mitchell.
Ansah, 30 on May 29, had 12 sacks in 2017 but just four in 2018 as the shoulder injury held him to seven games. He was still highly productive when he did play, and the Hawks obviously are willing to pay him well if he can do that for them.
Ansah (6-6, 270) might best be used as a pure pass rusher, so as to not stress his bum shoulder. Leave the run downs to Collier, Quinton Jefferson and others.
The one-year deal allows Ansah to reset his value, with a healthy season, and the Hawks could then hope to get a compensatory pick in 2021 if some team pays him well next offseason.
They have to hope he earns it.