Ezekiel Ansah seems like an excellent free-agent target for a 49ers team in need of a consistent edge rusher.
He had 12 sacks last season, he's stout enough to be a three-down "Leo" defensive end and, perhaps most important when many millions of dollars are at stake, he has someone in the organization who knows him well: Senior Personnel Executive Martin Mayhew was Detroit's general manager when the Lions drafted Ansah in the first round five years ago.
But beginning Tuesday, the Lions can place the franchise tag on Ansah. If that happens, the pass-rush options beyond him in free agency aren't as obvious.