The Kansas City Chiefs were reported to have made an offer for DE/OLB Melvin Ingram and the Pittsburgh Steelers accepted it.
As first reported by USA TODAY’s Josina Anderson, Steelers DE Melvin Ingram has been traded to the Chiefs. According to Ian Rapoport, the trade compensation will be a sixth-round draft pick.
The 31-year-old edge rusher originally entered the league as the 18th overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft out of the University of South Carolina. He’s spent the past nine seasons playing for the Los Angeles Chargers, facing the Chiefs twice annually as an AFC West division rival. He almost joined Kansas City as a free agent this past offseason, even taking a visit with the team, but he joined the Steelers instead.
Melvin Ingram just told me he is going to the #Chiefs.
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) November 2, 2021
Source: The #Steelers are trading Melvin Ingram to the #Chiefs in exchange for a 6th round pick,
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 2, 2021
During his career with the Chargers, Ingram appeared in a total of 113 regular-season games, starting in 96 contests during his professional career. During that time, he recorded 360 total tackles, 49 sacks, 70 tackles for loss, 14 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries, 28 passes batted, three interceptions and 108 QB hits. He’s only ever played in four playoff games, but his production has been solid, with 15 total tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, four QB hits, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception and two passes batted.
Listed at 6-2 and 247 pounds, Ingram doesn’t quite fit what the Chiefs typically look for at this position. His proven success during his career allows them to put aside some of those physical attributes they’re typical searching for. He also has experience as a stand-up pass-rusher in a 3-4 defense and a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end. Most recently he’s been asked to play defensive end in Gus Bradley’s scheme and from 2017-2019, he earned a Pro Bowl selection due to his success.
Ingram dealt with an injury in 2020 that limited his effectiveness, but this season he has managed to be more effective with 18 pressures including a sack in seven games played.
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