Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah is locked up for another year.
Ansah, who was Detroit’s franchise player, has signed his tender. That gives him a guaranteed salary of $17.143 million this season. If the Lions don’t work out a long-term deal with him, he’ll either hit unrestricted free agency next year or he’ll be guaranteed a 20 percent pay raise, which would mean a guaranteed salary of $20.572 million next year.
Last year Ansah had an up-and-down season with three different three-sack games, but a total of only three sacks in all the other games.
Ansah will turn 29 next month and it’s unclear whether the Lions plan to work out a long-term deal with him or let him play out the season and make a decision about his future next year.