Ezekiel Ansah removed from PUP list, will practice Monday

Ezekiel Ansah will make his long-awaited return to Detroit Lions practice this week, as the team has officially removed him from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list on Monday morning.

For the second straight year, Ansah started training camp on the PUP list. However, unlike last year, Ansah will only miss a week of practice, while last year Ansah missed the entire preseason.

Though it’s unknown what kept Ansah out for a week, the Detroit Free Press reported that he underwent a clean-out surgery on his knee back after the 2017 season ended.

Earlier this offseason, the Lions placed the franchise tag on Ansah, worth $17.1 million guaranteed for the 2018 season. The two sides couldn’t come to a long-term agreement by the league’s deadline, meaning Ansah is headed towards free agency next year. But now that he’s cleared to practice, Ansah will have an opportunity to prove he is still his old self that pulled in 14.5 sacks in 2015, and is reliable enough to play through an entire season healthy.