Two Seahawks starting defenders inactive tonight. But Jadeveon Clowney is a go
Practice didn’t mean play for Ziggy Ansah.
The veteran pass rusher was inactive for Sunday night’s NFC West game at the Los Angeles Rams. That was after he participated in each of the Seahawks’ three, light, non-padded practices this past week.
Ansah had been questionable to play because a neck-nerve issue that may be related to his season-ending shoulder surgery 12 months ago when he played for Detroit.
Coach Pete Carroll had said the team’s medical staff had to check out Ansah and fellow end rusher Jadeveon Clowney (core) before Sunday’s game but that “we feel good about” both defensive end’s chances to play.
Clowney was active for the game. He had also been questionable to play.
Sunday was the fourth game Ansah was inactive this season. He’s lost $375,000 in per-game, active-roster bonuses, $93,750, from his one-year contract he signed with Seattle this spring.
His latest absence meant more chances for recently excelling Rasheem Green, the team’s third-round pick from USC in 2018, as a pass rusher. It also had rookie first-round draft choice L.J. Collier poised for a larger role, six days after he was inactive for the fifth time this season, the Monday-night home win over Minnesota.
Linebacker Mychal Kendricks was inactive because the hamstring he strained two games ago while making 11 solo tackles at Philadelphia. Kendricks played through that in the win against the Vikings, but Carroll said Friday the team needs to take care of him for the rest of this season. Kendricks was not on the field with Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright and fellow Seahawks linebackers Sunday afternoon.
He lost $125,000 in a weekly roster bonus by not being one of the 46 active players for the Rams game. Kendricks’ absence wasn’t a surprise. On Friday, the team listed him doubtful to play.
Rookie draft choice Cody Barton was ready to start at strongside linebacker for Kendricks, if the Seahawks started in base 4-3 defense. They were likely to be in more nickel sets with five defensive backs and Wagner and Wright only at linebacker against the Rams’ passing game.
Barton played 11 snaps for Kendricks. The Seahawks drafted him in the third round out of Utah this spring. Coaches have been wowed at how quickly Barton learned the defense and can play both strongside and middle linebacker.
Seattle’s other inactive players were not surprises, either: injured fullback Nick Bellore (quadriceps) and tight end Luke Willson (hamstring), cornerback and special-teams captain Neiko Thorpe (core), plus rookies wide receiver John Ursua and guard Phil Haynes again.
Thorpe is headed to injured reserve. Carroll said Friday Thorpe had season-ending surgery in Philadelphia for a sports hernia.
This story was originally published December 8, 2019 at 4:22 PM.
