Pete Carroll: Adding Ziggy Ansah “a huge get” for Seahawks

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The Seahawks may not know exactly when Ziggy Ansah is going to be able to take the field for them this season, but they’re thrilled to have him nonetheless.

Seattle signed Ansah just over a week ago once the threshold for free agent signings counting against the compensatory draft pick formula had passed. With the trade of Frank Clark to the Kansas City Chiefs earlier in the offseason, the Seahawks found themselves short on pass rushers and Ansah represented the option with the most proven resume still available on the market.

“It’s a huge get for us,” head coach Pete Carroll said on Tuesday. “Ziggy playing last year at the time when he got hurt, hurt his shoulder, he was as effective a rusher as there was in the league. After seven games, he had four sacks and 20-percent of the time he was causing problems for the quarterback. That’s as big a number as anybody had. He’s got a chance to be a big factor for us.”

The shoulder injury Carroll referenced is the issue that remains in question for Ansah. Varying reports have had Ansah being cleared as early as mid-August or missing up to the first month of the season. Carroll said that they won’t know where Ansah truly is until the team convenes for training camp at the end of July.

“He’s got a long process to get back,” Carroll said. “His attitude is great. He’s working every day, involved in all phases of everything that’s going on in the training room and with strength and conditioning. It’s just going to take a while and we’ll see. We won’t know until we get back after the break, until we get to camp really to see how far along we are able to get him. And then we’ll see what camp tells us. I can’t tell you anything more than other than just got to wait and see.”

Ansah is by far the most productive edge rusher on Seattle’s roster following Clark’s departure. Cassius Marsh‘s 5.5 sacks last year with the San Francisco 49ers is the most in a given season of any defensive end currently with the Seahawks. Jarran Reed‘s 10.5 sacks from the tackle spot give Seattle a proven rusher inside, but Ansah – if healthy – brings the outside element the roster had been missing.

“He has exactly what we’re looking for,” Carroll said. “Speed, size, strength, toughness, he’s got a great motor about the way he plays. We’re really fortunate to have him.”