Ezekiel Ansah spoke to Seattle media on Thursday for the first time since signing with the Seahawks way back on May 10. It’s been an arduous 3.5 months for Ansah since arriving in the Pacific Northwest.

He spent his offseason dedicated to getting his shoulder back to full strength. Ansah has stayed on schedule, if not a tick ahead. He avoided the Physically Unable to Perform List to start training camp which allowed him to partake in walkthroughs. Now Ansah will have a full two weeks of practice ahead of his Seahawks debut on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

“I’m just grateful that everything is getting better now,” Ansah said. “It’s been a long journey. I haven’t played football since last year. It’s something I’m really looking forward to.”

Ansah said his goal as a free agent was to join a playoff team he believed could make a run at the Super Bowl. Now it’s Ansah, along with newly acquired Jadeveon Clowney, who could be the difference makers that establish Seattle as a bona fide contender.

Ansah said the pass rush tandem “speaks for itself.” Russell Wilson also noted the obvious potential of pairing Ansah with Clowney.

"Those are star pass rushers in the NFL, and I'm glad they're on our team," the quarterback said on Thursday.

Pete Carroll has been steadfast that he expected to have Ansah in the opener as long as he didn’t suffer a setback with his shoulder or his minor groin strain. So far Ansah’s body has responded well following a week of practice.

“We have an amazing training staff out here that takes care of the players,” Ansah said. “They’ve done a tremendous job in helping me recover and rehab my shoulder. Everything seems to be going smooth.”

Ansah, the former fifth-overall pick to the Detroit Lions in 2013, posted four sacks in 2018 after being limited to just seven games. He was never 100 percent at any point last season. The year before that he put up 12 sacks. Ansah’s best season came in 2015 where he racked up 14.5 sacks in what was his lone Pro Bowl campaign. Anywhere near that production would provide a massive lift to the Seahawks defense in 2019.

Carroll wouldn’t divulge how many snaps Ansah and Clowney would play on Sunday, but both players plan on leaving their mark.

“I’m as ready as I can be,” Ansah said. “I can’t wait to hit somebody. I can’t wait to make the first tackle. I can’t wait to get my first sack. I just can’t wait to be out there.”