Melvin Ingram - Pro Football Rumors

Melvin Ingram To Visit Dolphins

May 24th, 2021 at 12:51pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Melvin Ingram‘s market has been quiet, but it looks like things could be heating up. The free agent pass-rusher is visiting with the Dolphins on Monday, a source told Adam Beasley of The Miami Herald.

Ingram visited with the Chiefs back on March 20th, and this is the first we’ve heard about him since. Miami has made overhauling their edge rushing group a priority this offseason, cutting Kyle Van Noy and then drafting Jaelan Phillips in the first-round last month. The Chargers drafted Ingram 18th overall back in 2012, and he spent his first nine seasons with the team.

Ingram had a lot of success with the Chargers, making three straight Pro Bowls from 2017-19. He struggled with injuries early in his career, but became a late bloomer and eventually formed one of the best pass-rushing duos in the league next to Joey Bosa.

Unfortunately his run of good health came to an end this past year, when multiple knee injuries limited him to seven games. After finishing with at least seven sacks in each of his previous five seasons, he had zero last year. Now 32 and coming off an injury plagued year, it’s not shocking his market has been slow to develop.

As Beasley points out, it’s not even clear if he’s 100 percent healthy since there hasn’t been much reporting on his knee. Either way, Ingram was a Pro Bowler just two seasons ago, and the South Carolina product could be a nice veteran presence for a young team. He was a vocal leader on the Chargers the past few seasons.

DE Melvin Ingram To Visit Chiefs

March 20th, 2021 at 10:13am CST by Ben Levine

Melvin Ingram has his first reported visit. The veteran pass-rusher is set to visit the Chiefs, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).

The 18th-overall pick of the 2012 draft had spent his entire career with the Chargers, earning three-straight Pro Bowl nods between 2017 and 2019. Ingram collected at least seven sacks per season between 2015 and 2019, and his 49 career sacks ranks fourth on the team’s all-time leader board.

However, after missing three regular season games in 2019, Ingram missed nine games in 2020 thanks to a nagging knee injury. He started the seven games he did appear in, but he didn’t show his normal burst, finishing with only 10 tackles and zero sacks. He ultimately appeared in only 35 percent of his team’s defensive snaps, his lowest percentage since an injury-riddled 2013 campaign.

The Chiefs make sense as a landing spot for the 31-year-old. The team’s currently eyeing a depleted depth chart with defensive ends Alex Okafor and Tanoh Kpassagnon sitting on the open market

Chargers Activate Chris Harris, Place Melvin Ingram On IR

November 27th, 2020 at 3:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

A Pro Bowl defender will be available for the Chargers against the Bills, but the team will also be without one. The Bolts activated Chris Harris on Friday but cleared the roster spot by placing Melvin Ingram on IR.

Harris has been out since Week 2 with a foot injury, but the All-Decade cornerback returned to practice last week. The Chargers signed the longtime Broncos slot corner to a two-year deal this offseason, but their squadron of All-Pros in the secondary has largely failed to materialize.

Derwin James is out for the season, and the Chargers traded 2018 All-Pro Desmond King to the Titans. Casey Hayward will also miss the Bills game with a groin injury, interestingly leaving Harris as the only member of that would-have-been All-Pro quartet on track to suit up in Buffalo.

The Chargers previously ruled Ingram out for Week 12 with a knee injury. This will be the second time the ninth-year edge rusher has landed on IR this season. He missed time earlier this year because of knee trouble. These setbacks have damaged Ingram’s 2021 free agency stock. After lobbying for a new contract in August, Ingram returned to practice. The 31-year-old defensive end’s multi-injury season — one that has yet to produce a sack — and the expected cap reduction could severely affect his market come March.

Chargers Activate Melvin Ingram, Justin Jones From IR

October 24th, 2020 at 3:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

As they attempt to snap a four-game losing skid, the Chargers will have some reinforcements back. They activated defensive linemen Melvin Ingram and Justin Jones off IR on Saturday.

Ingram has been out since Week 2 with a knee injury. This year’s tweaked IR policy allows teams to shelve players for just three weeks, and the longtime Bolts defensive end will miss the minimum number of contests before returning to team with Joey Bosa on the edge.

This stretch of games will be key for Ingram, who lobbied for a new contract but failed to secure it during a brief training camp hold-in. The Bolts extended Ingram in 2017, and his contract expires at season’s end. Bosa signed an NFL-high (for defenders) $27MM-per-year deal in August, topping Ingram’s $16MM-AAV deal as the top Chargers contract.

It will be difficult for the Bolts to give Ingram a major raise ahead of his age-32 season in 2021, though Justin Herbert‘s rookie contract will make that easier than it would have been with Philip Rivers‘ deal on L.A.’s books. But Ingram showing good form in his team’s final 11 games would strengthen his bargaining position in free agency.

A third-year defensive tackle, Jones will also miss the minimum number of games. He went down with a shoulder injury. The Chargers have used the 2018 third-round pick as a starting defensive tackle over the past two seasons.

The Chargers also promoted running back Troymaine Pope from their practice squad and waived wide receiver Jason Moore and defensive end Jessie Lemonier.

Chargers Designate DE Melvin Ingram, DT Justin Jones To Return

October 19th, 2020 at 5:39pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Chargers have once again been one of the most banged up teams in the league, but it looks like reinforcements are on the way. Los Angeles has designated defensive end Melvin Ingram and defensive tackle Justin Jones to return from injured reserve, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets.

Each can now return to practice. The team now has a three-week window to activate either player. If they are not activated in that span, they’ll be ineligible to return for the remainder of the year. Ingram usually forms one of the league’s best pass-rushing duos with Joey Bosa when healthy, and he’s made the Pro Bowl in each of the past three seasons. Jones, a 2018 third-round pick, is a starter and key run-stuffer.

With guys like Derwin James and Chris Harris sidelined, the Chargers could really use this boost on defense. They’re 1-4 on the year and have blown 17-point leads in back to back weeks. Despite the record the Chargers still have a legit chance, as Justin Herbert has looked like a star in the making and the schedule coming up is extremely soft. Their next five games are against the Jaguars, Broncos, Raiders, Dolphins, and Jets, so if the defense can heal up they’ve got a shot to make some noise.

Ingram has only played in the first two games of the season, and he had a crucial interception in a Week 1 win over the Bengals. The South Carolina product has at least seven sacks in each of the past five seasons. He’s dealing with a knee issue, while Jones has a shoulder injury.

Chargers Place Melvin Ingram On IR

September 26th, 2020 at 3:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

On the heels of a fairly strong defensive performance against the Chiefs, the Chargers will see one half of their top-end pass-rushing tandem miss time.

The Bolts placed Melvin Ingram on IR Saturday. This will knock the veteran defensive end out for at least three games. Ingram is battling a knee injury.

Also placing defensive tackle Justin Jones and linebacker Asmar Bilal on IR, the Chargers will promote safety Jahleel Addae to their active roster. The former longtime Chargers safety starter, Addae agreed to a practice squad deal recently. The Bolts will also promote running back Darius Bradwell from their practice squad.

Ingram, though, certainly represents the biggest piece of news from the team’s Saturday transactions. He and Joey Bosa have seen some interruptions in their run as an edge-rushing pair during an era featuring rampant Bolts injury trouble. Though, Ingram has only missed three games over the past five-plus seasons. The three-time Pro Bowler has 43 sacks over the past five seasons.

Ingram’s return from this injury will begin a critical stretch, with the 31-year-old defender in a contract year. Ingram waged a brief hold-in during training camp but returned to practice when the Bolts guaranteed his 2020 salary.

Chargers Guarantee Melvin Ingram’s 2020 Salary

August 21st, 2020 at 11:54am CST by Rory Parks

Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram had been sitting out of practice in hopes of getting a new deal. He doesn’t have a new deal yet, but he does have some newfound security.

As Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter), Ingram signed an adjusted contract that guarantees his 2020 salary, which checks in at a hefty $14MM. While the Bolts were unlikely to cut Ingram to save that money, the 31-year-old is now assured of earning a very nice income this season. As such, he has returned to the practice field.

It’s unclear what, if anything, this means for contract talks between player and team, though both sides have benefited from their eight-year relationship. From 2015-18, Ingram started every game for the Chargers and averaged nine sacks per season. Though he missed three games last season due to injury, he collected his third consecutive Pro Bowl nod.

The South Carolina product may not be one of the league’s most feared pass rushers, but he is consistently able to apply pressure to opposing quarterbacks, and those types of players get paid handsomely in today’s NFL. He is shooting for one last big-money contract — he is entering the final year of the four-year, $66MM deal he signed in 2017 — and he has a good chance of getting it, whether that happens this season or in 2021.

If the Chargers’ key defenders can stay healthy this year, the club will have a good chance to rebound from a disappointing 2019 season and return to the playoffs.

Melvin Ingram Skips Chargers Practice

August 18th, 2020 at 10:12am CST by Zachary Links

Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram is sitting out of practice in hopes of getting a new deal, sources tell Daniel Popper of The Athletic. As it stands, Ingram has one year to go on his four-year, $66MM deal.

There’s no word on when Ingram will suit up, or how long he might be willing to hold his position. At the age of 31, Ingram might be looking for a new long-term deal to give him security for the remainder of his career. He might also be seeking some short-term insurance. Ingram is slated to earn $14MM in base salary this year, but it’s completely non-guaranteed. Ingram’s agent didn’t offer much clarity when contacted by Popper, though he did deny that Ingram is sitting out in search of guaranteed cash.

Teams have been reluctant to commit big bucks to players in the midst of the pandemic, but that didn’t stop the Bolts from handing Joey Bosa a five-year, $135MM re-up in late July. The COVID-19 excuse likely won’t fly with Ingram, who is still at the team facility but abstaining from on-field activity. Because this isn’t a full-on holdout, Ingram will not be subject to the usual $50K in daily fines.

“Melvin Ingram is in meetings, he’s in walkthroughs, he’s at everything, individual,” head coach Anthony Lynn said this week. “What he does on the practice field, we’ll see later. But like I said earlier, that’s kind of company business, and I’m just going to leave it at that because I don’t have to talk about it right now. I got a lot of other things that I got to get done. I don’t really want to spend a lot of time talking about that.”

Last year, Ingram notched seven sacks and 48 tackles in 13 games. For his career, he has 49 sacks across eight seasons, all with the Chargers.

Chargers’ Melvin Ingram To Miss Games

September 30th, 2019 at 4:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Another high-profile Charger will be out due to injury. Melvin Ingram suffered a pulled hamstring Sunday against the Dolphins, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) the veteran defensive end is expected to miss time — probably more than one game.

Ingram joins a lengthy list, even for what’s been an injury-prone team as of late, of ailing Chargers. This stands to strip the Bolts of one of their top defenders, with Ingram and Joey Bosa forming one of the NFL’s premier edge-rushing tandems.

The Chargers have defensive backs Derwin James, Adrian Phillips and Trevor Williams on IR. Wideouts Mike Williams and Travis Benjamin missed Sunday’s game. Hunter Henry is without a return timetable, and Russell Okung is on the Bolts’ reserve/NFI list. The Bolts have not had kicker Michael Badgley this season yet, either.

Los Angeles has deployed Ingram as a key edge piece since selecting him in the 2012 first round. He’s posted two double-digit sack seasons and has one this year. For much of last season, Ingram operated without Bosa. Now, the Bolts will see that scenario flip. They do catch a bit of an apparent schedule break while dealing with these myriad maladies, though. Their next two games are home tilts against the winless Broncos and Steelers.

Injury Updates: Trubisky, Smith, Hockenson, Allen, Ingram, Mack, Stills

September 29th, 2019 at 8:26pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Perhaps the most significant injury of Week 4 afternoon games was Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky going down. Trubisky went down hard on his left shoulder, and was quickly ruled out before returning to the sideline with his arm in a sling. Bears coach Matt Nagy didn’t offer many details after the game, but he said he didn’t expect the injury to be season-ending, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). While it certainly could be worse, that does seem to suggest that the Bears expect Trubisky to miss at least a little time. Chase Daniel will fill in under center.

Here are more injury updates from around the league:

Bears linebacker Roquan Smith was surprisingly inactive for the team’s win over the Vikings, and Nagy said after the game Smith’s absence was for personal reasons, Pelissero tweets. Nagy wouldn’t elaborate and wouldn’t say whether Smith’s personal issue would extend beyond this week. This will be something to monitor, as Smith is a key part of Chicago’s defense.
Lions rookie tight end T.J. Hockenson took a hard hit in Detroit’s loss to the Chiefs, and was ruled out with a concussion. The Lions drafted Hockenson eighth overall back in April, and he’s shown a lot of promise in the first few games. He had three catches and a touchdown before going down against Kansas City, and is a big part of Detroit’s passing game. Hopefully he’ll be able to get cleared in time for Week 5.
Speaking of concussions, Bills quarterback Josh Allen suffered one on a brutal hit in Buffalo’s loss to the Patriots. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game and if he can’t get cleared by next week, Matt Barkley will be under center. Allen was struggling before getting hurt and had thrown three interceptions, but Barkley wasn’t much better in relief.
The Chargers’ injuries continued to pile up, as star pass-rusher Melvin Ingram left their game against the Dolphins and was quickly ruled out with a hamstring injury. Los Angeles was already one of the most banged up teams in the league, so this was the last thing they needed. Head coach Anthony Lynn said after the game that Ingram pulled a hamstring and they didn’t know how long he’d be out, according to a tweet from Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com.
Colts running back Marlon Mack tweaked his ankle, but it doesn’t seem serious. Mack only had two carries in the second half, but he said after the game it was just “coach’s decision” to hold him out and that he expects to be fine for Indy’s Week 5 game against the Chiefs, according to Charlie Clifford of WISH 8 (Twitter link).
Texans receiver Kenny Stills left his team’s loss to the Panthers with a hamstring injury, but it’s unclear how severe it is. After the game, head coach Bill O’Brien said the team would have to wait until Monday to determine the severity, per a tweet from Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Stills would be a big loss, but Houston would still have a very solid receiving corp in Will Fuller, DeAndre Hopkins, and Keke Coutee without him.