While the Lions have defensive end Ziggy Ansah under contract in 2017 thanks to his fifth-year option, Detroit would like to lock up the fifth-year edge rusher for the foreseeable future. The Lions have interest in inking Ansah to a long-term extension, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who cautions talks have not yet started.
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After posting 30 sacks during his first three years with the Lions (including 14.5 in 2015), Ansah registered only two quarterback takedowns last year. Bothered by ankle and shoulder injuries, Ansah didn’t put up a sack until Week 11, and garnered his worst Pro Football Focus grade since his rookie campaign (PFF rated Ansah as the No. 51 edge defender among 109 qualifiers).
Ansah, 27, will earn $12.734MM in 2017 before becoming an unrestricted free agent next offseason. Detroit will have the option of assigning Ansah the franchise tag next spring, but that would come with a high price tag. The 2017 franchise tender for defensive ends is worth $16.394MM, so increases in the salary cap could push that figure near $18MM in 2018.
A franchise tag wouldn’t come cheap, but neither will an extension, as Ansah and his representatives will likely to point to recent comparable edge defender contracts when negotiations get underway. Those deals might include Von Miller ($19.083MM annually), Olivier Vernon ($17MM), Chandler Jones ($16.5MM), and Jason Pierre-Paul ($15.5MM).