The Buffalo Bills appear to be right in the thick of things in regard to the pursuit of free agent defensive end Ziggy Ansah. According to ESPN’s John Clayton, the Bills have been “reaching out to” Ansah. Clayton, reporting for ESPN in Seattle, also added that the Seahawks had Ansah in for a free-agent visit earlier this week. That brings Ansah’s visits up to five, which also includes the Ravens and Saints. Clayton’s report also confirms what Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane said earlier this week. The 29-year-old defender had a free-agent visit with the Bills in March. Beane said he’s not counting his team as out of the running for Ansah’s services, despite the length of time that has passed. “Yeah, we are (still in on trying to sign Ansah),” Beane said. “Nothing’s done. He traveled last week to visit a team, I think it was Baltimore. So yes, still talk, staying in touch with his agent, and so… there’s nothing to report. We’re not in on it yet, we’re not out of it yet.” The reason Ansah may have not yet signed is because teams have concern about a shoulder injury he suffered last season. Teams typically sign free agents following the draft if there is a position they failed to address. The Bills don’t have a glaring need at defensive end, but they’ll certainly hope to improve their pass rush after only notching 36 a season ago, which was 26th best in the NFL. Ansah certainly has the resume. A six-year vet of the NFL, Ansah has spent his entire career with the Lions organization. His 48 career sacks is fourth all-time in Lions franchise history. Following the 2017 season, the Lions placed the $17 million franchise tag on the defensive end. Ansah was the fifth-overall pick at the 2013 NFL Draft, but he’s available because of a string of injuries he’s had in his career. In regard to his shoulder injury, Clayton speculates that his injury might not heal fully until August which could cause him to miss the first game or two of the 2019 season.<doc-sep>Is Ziggy Ansah a better fit in Buffalo or Seattle? Right now rumors are Seattle is the front runner, the Bills GM did not like that report. Bills General Manager Brandon Beane is a beast and today he said on 1270 The Fan that the Bills remain interested in free agent defensive end Ziggy Ansah. A report from Ian Rapoport said that the Seahawks are the “front runners” right now for the pass rusher, but the Bills GM said OH HELL NO. Sources: The #Seahawks have emerged as the front-runner to sign star FA DE Ziggy Ansah. They visited with him in late April and need a big-time pass-rusher after dealing Frank Clark. The contract has not been finalized yet. He also visited with the #Bills, who remain interested. — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 8, 2019 Beane was not happy about the report and said it was garbage. “I don’t know where it came from,” Beane said on the radio station, via Mike Rodak of ESPN. “Maybe it is fact. From the people I talked to that represent, they don’t see it as fact. Time will tell. . . . Certain people have been wrong more than they’re right, and I think it’s a poor job that they’ve done.” “We’re still in talks with him and his agent,” Beane said. “Everything has been very good. All I’ll say about reports [Seattle is emerging as favorite] is I don’t buy into that garbage, especially when I consider where some of the sourcing comes from.” If the Bills really wanted Ziggy what are they waiting for? They have the cap room to make it happen, so I am wonder if they Bills are trying to trade someone? Maybe the Bills trade Shaq Lawson before they sign Ansah? I mean they did just opt to not tender him for his fifth year. If the Bills are serious about Ansah they better make the move quickly. Ansah has visited a handful of teams already and now it does not count against a teams compensatory picks, so teams are more than likely to up their offer now.<doc-sep>The initial wave of free agency is long over, but the drama is more than alive and well. On Wednesday morning NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said the Seattle Seahawks were the favorites to sign defensive end Ezekiel Ansah. While this bit of news likely excited Seahawks considering Ansah could provide a nice boost along a Seattle defensive line full of question marks, not everyone was thrilled at the report. Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane, whose team is still in the hunt for Ansah’s services, came out to thoroughly dispute Seattle’s front-runner status. Brandon Beane on @1270TheFan on Z. Ansah: “We’re still in talks with him and his agent. Everything has been very good. All I’ll say about reports [Seattle is emerging as favorite] is I don’t buy into that garbage, especially when I consider where some of the sourcing comes from." — Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) May 8, 2019 More from Beane: “I don’t know where it came from. Maybe it is fact. From the people I talked to that represent, they don’t see it as fact. Time will tell. … Certain people have been wrong more than they’re right and I think it’s a poor job that they’ve done." — Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) May 8, 2019 Although Rapoport’s initial report did state the Bills remain interested, it is clear Beane considers Buffalo to be more than an afterthought in the Ansah sweepstakes. Should Seattle and Buffalo get into a true bidding war over Ansah, the Bills would have a slight advantage. According to Spotrac, the Bills have just over $30 million in cap space, whereas the Seahawks only have about $25.5 million. Having just $5 million more may not seem like much of an advantage, but if the Seahawks are still hoping to arrange an extension for Bobby Wagner this offseason, then they could find themselves outbid for Ansah rather quickly.<doc-sep>
Earlier in the day on Wednesday, it was reported that the Seattle Seahawks were the favorites to sign free-agent defensive lineman Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah. Not so fast. Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane has taken to 1270 The Fan to state that he thinks his team has a great shot of landing Ansah, as the Bills are in talks with the pass rusher. “I don’t know where it came from,” Beane said of the report that the Seahawks were leading the chase. “Maybe it is fact. From the people I talked to that represent, they don’t see it as fact. Time will tell. … Certain people have been wrong more than they’re right, and I think it’s a poor job that they’ve done.” Ansah visited with Buffalo earlier in the offseason, and Beane had said a month-and-a-half ago that the Bills were in contact with him. Apparently, those discussions are still ongoing. “We’re still in talks with him and his agent,” Beane said. “Everything has been very good. All I’ll say about reports [Seattle is emerging as favorite] is I don’t buy into that garbage, especially when I consider where some of the sourcing comes from.” Due to a persistent shoulder injury, Ansah played in just seven games with the Detroit Lions this past season, finishing with 11 tackles and four sacks. The 29-year-old, who played his collegiate football at BYU, was originally selected by the Lions with the fifth overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft. He made the Pro Bowl in 2015 after racking up 47 tackles and 14.5 sacks.