Melvin Ingram Heads Back To The AFC West, Dealt To The Kansas City Chiefs

By Jordan Long

The Pittsburg Steelers are 4-3 as they prepare to take on the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football.   Right now, they are in the thick of the playoff race in the AFC.  They  decided to trade Melvin Ingram to the Kansas City Chiefs for a  6^th-round draft pick.  Ingram was unhappy with his role in Pittsburgh.

                Ingram spent the first 9 years of his NFL career with the Chargers organization.  He became one of the better sacking linebackers on the team.  He ended up with 49 sacks and 360 tackles.  Ingram could also be in pass coverage to knock the football away from being caught with 28 passes defended and 1 interception.   In the offseason, it was surprising the Chargers let him go.  Not many teams would let this type of linebacker go.

                The Steelers knew they had one of the better defenses in the league.  They thought Ingram would be a fit in this defense to help stop the run, play in coverage, and sack the quarterbacks.  They agreed to a 1-year, $4 million contract.

It didn’t work out.  In the Steelers’ week 6 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, Ingram was frustrated with his role, playing in just 26% of the defensive snaps.  He didn’t travel with the team when they beat the Cleveland Browns this past weekend.  In 6 games for the Steelers, Ingram totaled 1 sack and 10 tackles.  Pittsburgh decided to trade Ingram.

Pittsburgh dealt Ingram to a division he is familiar with, the AFC West.  Kansas City is hoping he is going to make an immediate impact on this defense and expects him to help pressure the quarterbacks to sack them.  In total, Kansas City  has 11 sacks this year, tied with Jacksonville for the 2^nd lowest total in the NFL.

Ingram should improve the pass rush.  He can beat the defender he is guarding to at least put pressure on the quarterback, even if it isn’t a sack causing incompletions and turnovers.  Ingram will also be in pass coverage to knock the ball down and intercept the football.  This was a superb move by the Chiefs.  They still have work to do to become a playoff team, but acquiring Ingram is a step in the right direction.