Report: Seahawks front-runner for DE Ansah

The Seattle Seahawks have emerged as the front-runner to sign free agent defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, NFL Network reported Wednesday. The report says no contract is finalized, adding that the Buffalo Bills remain interested after hosting Ansah for a visit in March.

Bills general manager Brandon Beane said Wednesday on 1270 The Fan in Buffalo that the team is still in contact with Ansah, and that he isn't necessarily buying that the Seahawks are the favorite. "We're still in talks with him and his agent," Beane said. "Everything has been very good. All I'll say about reports is I don't buy into that garbage, especially when I consider where some of the sourcing comes from."

Ansah visited the Baltimore Ravens and then the Seahawks in late April, after meeting the Bills and the New Orleans Saints shortly after free agency opened in mid-March. Coming off of shoulder surgery after missing nine games in 2018, Ansah's market has been slow to develop as teams monitor his health and recovery. NFL Network reported last month he is expected to be cleared by mid-August. Ansah, who will turn 30 on May 29, had four sacks and seven quarterback hits in seven games (two starts) while playing on the franchise tag for the Detroit Lions last season, after posting 12 and 17, respectively, in 2017. His best season came in 2015, when he had 14.5 sacks and 34 QB hits while earning his only Pro Bowl nod.

Drafted fifth overall by Detroit in 2013, Ansah has 48 sacks and 110 quarterback hits in six NFL seasons. The Seahawks added defensive end L.J. Collier with the 29th overall pick in last month's draft, but they could still use more help at the "leo" defensive end spot after trading Frank Clark to the Kansas City Chiefs.

--Field Level Media