Reported new Seahawks DE Ziggy Ansah ‘instantly makes everybody on the defense better’

ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky saw up close the impact Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah can make on a football team.

Report: Seahawks to sign Ansah | Seahawks 2019 free agency tracker

A quarterback with five teams in the league from 2005 to 2017, Orlovsky spent three seasons as Ansah’s teammate with the Detroit Lions. Orlovsky joined 710 ESPN Seattle’s Brock and Salk (with Jake Heaps, another former teammate of Ansah’s, filling in as Brock Huard’s co-host) to share what he knows about the reported new Seahawks defensive end.

“He instantly makes everybody on the defense better when it comes to Monday through Friday. The way he practices, the effort that he practices at, the commitment to the craft that he goes about on a day-to-day basis, is outstanding,” Orlovsky said about Ansah. “He is one of those guys that is incredibly motivated, self-starter, tireless worker, and that will pop on tape. He will match the standard and even elevate it (from) what has already been laid in Seattle.

“… If it was Saturday morning and Ziggy was running around in walkthrough and you got word from the doctors and whatnot that Ziggy was playing, you were like, woo, we’re playing with an extra guy in a way. He is that good of a player, impactful of a player – not just getting home to the quarterback. Again, the relentless effort, but also in the run game. So he was one of those guys that gave you a boost just knowing, alright, Ziggy’s going to be up in pads playing for us.”

While Ansah is coming off a significant shoulder injury and some have insinuated that he isn’t as in love with playing football as others, Orlovsky said he saw the exact opposite when he shared a locker room with the No. 5 overall selection from the 2013 NFL Draft and 2015 Pro Bowl selection.

“That’s just made-up stuff. I’m telling you, this guy practices like an absolute animal,” Orlovsky said about Ansah’s commitment level. “… (Ansah is) an introverted, quiet person. ‘I’m here at work to do my job, I’ve got things that I need to get done to do my job.’ You’re going to see he has a great routine, getting to work at a certain time and getting his body prepped and rehabbed. … He’s going to be a guy that goes about his business on his terms and that he’s very much focused on doing his job when he’s in the building.”

You can hear the full interview with Orlovsky in the player embedded in this post or download a podcast version at this link.

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