clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Wednesday open thread: How much would you pay to retain Ezekiel Ansah?

Detroit needs an elite defensive end, but do they already have one?

NFL: Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

It is no secret that the Detroit Lions will be looking for a top end edge defender this offseason. The New England Patriots Trey Flowers has been a popular name on the lips of Detroit fans for months and Florida’s Jachai Polite has been a popular pick up for the Lions in mock drafts. The topic even dominated the most recent edition of the PODcast.

While General Manger Bob Quinn probably plans to look anywhere to find an elusive pass rushing threat, the answer may be already wearing the Honolulu blue.

Ezekiel Ansah missed much of the 2018 season with a shoulder injury, but when he was around late in the season he looked great.

The defensive end played on the franchise tag last season and there is no chance Detroit uses it again on him. This means that he is set to hit the open market for the first time in his NFL career.

While it is expected that he will have a few suitors, it is also possible that his injury history keeps some teams away - lowering his price in the process. If the price gets low enough then we may see Detroit end up reentering the market for their former 1st round selection.

How much would you be willing to spend to retain Ansah?

A cheap, incentive-laden deal around $4-5 million a year? A mid tier deal around the $10 million mark per year? The market price for an elite pass rusher of around $20 million a year? Somewhere in between?

While it is unlikely that Ansah returns, how much would you be willing to hand to Ansah to retain his services?

NEW: Join Pride of Detroit Direct

Jeremy Reisman will drop into your inbox twice a week to provide exclusive, in-depth reporting and insights from Ford Field. Subscribe to go deeper into Lions fandom, and join us on our path to win the Super Bowl.