By: Reese Nasser

Nine-year veteran Melvin Ingram has had a successful NFL career but is still out to prove that he has more to give. He is still unsigned and is looking for a team. An injury-plagued season saw Ingram appear in just seven games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020. 

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs could be the perfect home for Ingram, specifically due to the gaps that they have on their defense. 

Third-year edge rusher Tim Ward currently had the starting spot on the left side of the defensive line. He has appeared in just one game in his career: the final regular season game of the 2020 season for the Chiefs. In that game he recorded five tackles and one sack. 

The other side of the line will be held down by longtime edge rusher Frank Clark. Outside of Clark, there is a clear lack of depth. The next man up will be Taco Charlton who played in seven games for the Chiefs last season but had zero starts. He recorded just four tackles but also added two sacks. 

Ingram could potentially thrive in Kansas City. They need another player that can get to the quarterback, which Ingram has proven he can do. He has 49 career sacks and could tack on even more in this scenario.

The risk of signing Ingram could greatly benefit both teams. The Chiefs need help on the defensive side of the ball and Ingram is looking to show that he can still be a high level player. 

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have slowly built their defense with a combination of both younger and older players. In recent drafts, they have chosen to address the defensive line. 

2019 first round pick Christian Wilkins has played well in his two seasons with the team. He has racked up over 100 tackles and missed just two games. The rising edge defender has solidified his role as a starter on this defense but other positions are still up in the open.

Ingram could find himself at multiple spots along this defense. The other defensive end spot is currently occupied by Zach Sieler. Sieler appeared in all 16 games last season and tallied 48 tackles and added 3.5 sacks. 

Ingram, being in this defensive rotation, could help all players involved. Ingram has experience not only at defensive end but also at outside linebacker. Rookie linebacker Jaelen Phillips spent a majority of his time in college as an edge rusher. The Dolphins have stated that they would like for him to play linebacker. Ingram, who has played both sports, could not only help Phillips learn both positions at an NFL level, but could also play at whatever spot they choose to not play Phillips. 

Baltimore Ravens

This Baltimore Ravens defense will be relying heavily on veteran players. Many of the starters have at least four years of experience. With this veterean presence, the addition of Ingram could help this defense. 

As time progresses, some players may want to take a step back and have a solid rotation. Edge rusher Derek Wolfe will be entering year 10 just, like Ingram. Linebacker Pernell McPhee will be going into year 11. Ingram has spent time at both their positions and would be a solid rotation, either playing behind or in front of either of these players. None of these three were able to play a full 16 games last season and the addition of Ingram could help keep fresh legs on all three players. 

Los Angeles Chargers

A homecoming could be in Ingram’s future. Ingram has spent his entire career with the Chargers and is one the better edge players in the teams history. 

Los Angeles has not necessarily made any effort to replace Ingram either. The current options at edge are somewhat mediocre and the verdict is still not yet out on how they will perform for the Chargers. Ingram knows the defensive system and would be able to hold down the edge, opposite Joey Bosa.

Ingrams lack of production, even while playing with Bosa, can’t be ignored. The lack of production may be due to neither player appearing in all 16 games. It can be difficult to build a rhythm along the defensive front when the players aren’t on the field together. 

Even with a lackluster 2020 season for Ingram in Los Angeles, a return would just make sense. Ingram would be thrown back into a defense that he has helped create, except this time he will be healthy again. Injuries derailed last season but Ingram will be all systems go come kickoff for 2021. The deal could also be cheap. The Chargers signing him to a one-year deal could allow for Ingram to show that he can still perform. If the signing pays off, the Chargers are able to bring a high-caliber player back to their defense. 

The post Top remaining fits for Melvin Ingram appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Reese Nasser

The Miami Dolphins are slowly building a defense with limitless potential. They have shown a clear interest in building from the top down with their secondary being the best part of the defense. The secondary also just happens to be where most of their veteran defenders are as well. Both their defensive line and linebacker cores are full of young players with a few veterans to fill the gaps.

This is where Melvin Ingram could fit in on this roster. It is being reported that Ingram has visited with the Dolphins and he could potentially sign with them in the near future. At 32-years old, Ingram could be a solid contributor to this defense and could also be a mentor to the younger players on this squad. Here are three reasons why the Dolphins should sign Melvin Ingram. 

Veteran Presence

Ingram has had a nine-year career where he has reached three pro bowls. He has appeared in 113 games and has the stats to back up his play. While the Dolphins have other rostered linebackers that have been in the league for some time, none have played to the level of Ingram. The knowledge that Ingram has would benefit the younger linebackers on the team, specifically someone such as rookie defensive player Jaelen Phillips. 

Phillips didn’t play the linebacker position in college but instead lined up almost exclusively on the edge. Ingram there to educate a young player like Philips could help the Dolphins develop him into a top-tier linebacker. 

Still able to Perform 

Ingram has shown that he can still play at a high level with his 2019 pro bowl nod. He has accumulated 49 sacks in his nine-year career with seven coming in both 2018 and 2019. After a knee injury that limited him to just seven games in 2020, Ingram will look to show that he can still play and play at a high level. He could also pair nicely next to Jerome Baker, who is a very high volume tackler unlike Ingram who is utilzied as more of an edge threat. If Ingram is still able to play at the level that he did prior to his 2020 season, this could be a signing that helps solidify this Dolphins defense. 

Depth at the Position 

As noted, the Dolphins linebacker core may be the weakest spot on their roster. While they have established players at the position, there is also a lack of depth. The signing of Ingram, if nothing else, would bring an extra body to a group that could potentially need it somewhere down the line. Outside of linebacker Jerome Baker, who has proven to be the the clear #1 of this group, the rest of the spots could be up for grabs. 

The addition of Ingram would also allow for Jaelen Phillips to slide back down to edge if the Dolphins preferred him there. The flexibility that would come from this addition could prove to be very beneficial to this group and defense as a whole.

The post 3 reasons why the loaded Dolphins should ink Melvin Ingram appeared first on Pro Football Mania.