Pete Carroll Says Seahawks DE Ziggy Ansah Could Be ‘Ahead Of Schedule’

SEATTLE, Washington– Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll joined Brock Huard and Mike Salk on 710 ESPN Seattle Monday morning from training camp. Carroll gave a few injury updates — including some positive news on former BYU defensive end Ziggy Ansah — and answered questions about linebacker Bobby Wagner’s recent contract extension.

Oh, and he showed up on a Razor Scooter (more on that here).

Regarding Ansah, an offseason free-agent signing working his way back from a shoulder injury, Carroll said he’s “making great progress” in his first training camp with the Seahawks.

“He’s on track,” Carroll said. “I think he’s going to maybe be a little bit ahead of schedule by the time we get to it. He’s running really well, he’s up to 270 (pounds) again, his weight’s back, his strength is coming back. But we still want to make sure that that shoulder is really solid. His legs are in great shape, he’s doing all the workout stuff, but not all the team stuff.”

Listen to the full interview at this link. Here are a couple of highlights:

What is it about Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson that sets them apart that makes you willing to commit to them longterm?

“They have just brought everything. They’ve been so team-oriented, so club-oriented. And they’ve just been such great competitors… they just have been fantastic contributors in all aspects of the program… they make themselves that value. And I think this is the statement, that you always have the chance to create your own value. That’s what they’ve done. They’ve created their own importance and significance here in a manner that we’re more than willing to go ahead and recognize it and keep them here for the rest of their career.”

When it comes to domestic violence or violations of the league’s personal conduct policy, how do you draw the line between letting a player have another chance, or letting him go? When do you forfeit your right to play on this team?

“That line is drawn in each individual situation with each guy with the circumstances and all that kind of stuff. We’ve just got to feel that out and trust that we’re going to make the right decisions at the right time. But that process comes from wanting to help guys grow. ‘When do you stop helping them’ is really the question to me. And we’re not gonna. We’re gonna stay with guys as long as we can until they just don’t allow us to, and that kind of gets decided really from the other end of it. We’re gonna show depth and faith and consideration that will maybe go beyond what others will expect. But I want to be the guy that’s going to be there standing there supporting them all the way at the end. A lot of guys that get in trouble, that have been in trouble in the past, people say OK you’re this and then they turn they’re back on them and they leave them. And I don’t want to give up on guys. I don’t. And so they eventually give up on themselves… so we’ll keep coming back and trying and working, just like we would do with our own kids.”