For a guy who hasn’t even practiced yet, the Lions are confident defensive end Ziggy Ansah will be ready for the regular season.
Ansah remains on the physically unable to perform list, coming off a career-worst sack season in 2016 in which he was bothered by a high ankle sprain. But the Lions seem certain he’s going to be ready to start the regular season.
“I’m not soothsayer, I’m not a prognosticator,” coach Jim Caldwell said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I can’t tell the future, I can’t predict that. But I feel good about it, but anything can happen these days. You just don’t know.”
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was even more positive, saying he wasn’t concerned about the absence of the pass-rusher.
“He’s been here. He’s played thousands and thousands of snaps for us,” Austin said. “I don’t worry about that. . . .
“The reports we get I guess are going to be good and nothing out of the ordinary. Just letting it heal and take our time and when we get him back, we get him back.”
Ansah hasn’t talked to reporters during his absence, but he did emerge to run on the side with teammates yesterday.
In addition to returning to health, the Lions need him to return to form. He had just two sacks last year, far from the Pro Bowl-level he’s played at prior to the injury. The Lions have already lost defensive end Kerry Hyder for the season to a torn Achilles.