Detroit Lions' Ziggy Ansah cleared to practice after offseason knee surgery

Dave Birkett | Detroit Free Press

Ziggy Ansah is back. Now, the Detroit Lions have to find a way to keep him healthy for the season.

The Lions activated Ansah off the physically unable to perform list this morning and Ansah is expected to take part in his first practice of training camp before the team leaves for joint practices with the Oakland Raiders later this afternoon.

Ansah, who led the Lions with 12 sacks last year, had been rehabbing from offseason knee surgery.

The 29-year-old defensive end is arguably the most important player on the Lions defense as the team's top pass-rushing threat, but he's struggled through an assortment of injuries the last two years.

In 2015, Ansah missed three games and was limited to just two sacks by a high ankle sprain, and last year he battled knee and back injuries but still finished the season with a six-sack flurry in the final two games.

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The Lions used the franchise tag on Ansah to restrict his movement as a free agent this spring, but were content letting him play the season on a one-year deal with $17.143 million.

First-year Lions coach Matt Patricia did not address Ansah's return before practice this morning, but he was asked Saturday how important it is for Ansah to see action in preseason games this summer.

“We’ve gone through a lot of camps where guys have taken a lot of training camp reps and played, and taken no training camp reps and played,” Patricia said. “It’s just part of what that is as far as those guys getting ready. These are professional football players that work every single day to improve and get ready to go whether it’s on the field or off or whatever they’re doing that particular case. So he certainly falls in that category. He’s working hard to get out there and as soon as he is ready to go, he’ll be out there.”

The Lions activated linebacker Devon Kennard and defensive end Cornelius Washington off the non-football injury list last week, but were cautious with both players in their return to the field.

Neither took part in team drills in their first practice back, and it would be a surprise if Ansah does much during practices in Oakland on Tuesday or Wednesday, or in Friday's preseason opener.

The Lions finished 20th in the league with just 35 sacks last season and have no one besides Ansah on their roster who's ever had more than eight sacks in a season.

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

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