Melvin Ingram is signing with the Steeler. (Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports)
The Pittsburgh Steelers have won the race to sign veteran pass rusher Melvin Ingram as a free agent, beating out the Chiefs and Dolphins.
Melvin Ingram is on the way to becoming a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The edge rusher who spent the first nine seasons of his NFL career with the Chargers was one of the most intriguing free agents on the market this offseason. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Ingram is set to sign a one-year contract with Pittsburgh ahead of the start of training camp.
“Source: The #Steelers are signing FA pass-rusher Melvin Ingram to a 1-year contract to beef up the edge,” Rapoport tweeted.
Rapoport added that the Chiefs and Dolphins were also interested in adding Ingram, but the player opted to be patient before deciding on a deal with the Steelers.
Ingram had a visit with Pittsburgh on Monday. Clearly, it went well for both sides.
Melvin Ingram will add to the Steelers pass rush
The Chargers made Ingram the No. 18 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He overcame early injury issues in his career to become a three-time Pro Bowler from 2017 to 2019. In that stretch, he had 24.5 sacks.
Injuries hit Ingram again during the 2020 season. A knee problem limited him to just seven games and he didn’t manage a sack or tackle for loss all year, complicating his entry into free agency.
The Steelers already have a three-time Pro Bowler in T.J. Watt rushing the passer for them. Watt had 15 sacks in 2020, while defensive end Stephon Tuitt had 11. Brad Dupree was third on the team with eight sacks, but he left in free agency for the Titans.
Adding Ingram will make things even tougher for quarterbacks in the AFC North while making up for the loss of Dupree.