Seahawks Inactives: DE Ziggy Ansah sitting out Week 1 vs Bengals

While new Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney will play in Week 1, the Seahawks’ other big free agent pass rush acquisition will not.

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The Seahawks have opted to hold out pass rusher Ziggy Ansah (shoulder) from Sunday’s season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. Head coach Pete Carroll has previously said Ansah’s shoulder is healed and back to full strength so Seattle may just be playing it safe with the 30-year-old veteran, who was also working through a groin injury this preseason. Sunday would have been his first action since Week 14 of last year.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider said on the pregame show on 710 ESPN Seattle and KIRO Radio 97.3 FM that Ansah sitting Sunday is “precautionary.”

John Schneider on @710ESPNSeattle says holding DE Ziggy Ansah out was a precautionary measure for Seahawks: "We thought it was gonna be close. It's very much precautionary." Says they want him to be a longterm option and didn't want to risk anything if he wasn't fully ready.

— Stacy Jo Rost (@StacyRost) September 8, 2019

Starting left guard Mike Iupati (calf), on the other hand, is active. Like Ansah, he was questionable heading into Sunday’s contest. As noted by Seahawks.com reporter John Boyle, though, it isn’t guaranteed Iupati will get the start.

Guard Mike Iupati is active for the #Seahawks. Worth noting that doesn't guarantee he starts though. Could serve as an emergency backup to Pocic if they want to give him another week to work his way back.

— John Boyle (@johnpboyle) September 8, 2019

Because Iupati was sidelined for some time with that calf injury, third-year lineman Ethan Pocic saw the bulk of starting reps through August and played well. He could get the start once again Sunday, with Iupati acting as an emergency backup.

Seahawks Week 1 inactives

CB Parry Nickerson
C Joey Hunt
DE Ziggy Ansah
DE L.J. Collier
WR Gary Jennings
WR John Ursua
WR David Moore

Bengals Week 1 inactives

DE Andrew Brown
DE Jordan Willis
HB Trayveon Williams
OT Cordy Glenn
QB Jake Dolegala
WR A.J. Green
WR Auden Tate

Who to watch

Clowney tops the list here as both the newest Seahawk and as a Pro Bowler who fills what was one of the Seahawks’ biggest position groups of need this offseason.

On offense, all eyes are always on quarterback Russell Wilson, but the wide receiver group should continue to draw attention. Veteran Jaron Brown was a focus throughout camp for offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who said Seattle could have used the former Cardinal more last year. But Brown was released by the team as part of some roster maneuvering by general manager John Schneider last week. He was ultimately brought back – much to the relief of Schottenheimer – but can Seattle’s offensive coordinator carry out his plan to establish Brown as a more regular target for Wilson?

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