The Seahawks will have two of their star defensive players on the field to open the season Sunday against the Bengals.
Defensive ends Jadeveon Clowney and Ziggy Ansah are expected to play Week 1, even though they were both listed as limited on Seattle's practice report Wednesday.
"To have both Ziggy and Jadeveon on our team, that's different, that's a unique matchup right there," coach Pete Carroll said (via ESPN).
DL coach Clint Hurtt says Jadeveon Clowney is "running like a gazelle" in practice this week, and that he, fellow rush end Ziggy Ansah are in close to 100-% shape. Both will play Sunday vs Cincinnati. #Seahawks coaches will monitor during game, play their PT by ear as it goes.
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) September 4, 2019
Clowney's practice designation wasn't injury-related, but indicates the Seahawks are planning to ease the pass-rusher into the mix slowly. He hasn't practiced all offseason, and he was prepared to sit out into the regular season until his situation with the Texans was resolved. Houston ended up trading Clowney to the Seahawks over the weekend.
Even though Clowney has missed practice time, Seahawks defensive line coach Clint Hurtt said he's been impressed with Clowney's fitness and the extra work he's put in to adjust to Seattle's defense in a limited amount of time.
"There is a difference between working-out condition and football shape, especially when the tempo starts picking up and things like that," Hurtt said. "But he's out there running like a gazelle, so he looks good."
Ansah, on the other hand, has been dealing with a shoulder injury that cut his 2018 season with the Lions short, but returned to practice last week.
“He’s practicing now,” Carroll said (per the team's official website). “He’ll have two weeks under his belt, which is one more than Jadeveon’s got. For Ziggy, he practiced and worked out with us, and worked out hard for six weeks or something all through camp and all that. He did a really good job through the process, and he’s in good shape and he’s ready to go.”
The Seahawks will host the Bengals on Sunday, with kickoff set for 4:05 p.m. ET.