Steelers Trade Rumors: Melvin Ingram Wants Out Ahead of Deadline; Chiefs Made Offer
October 28, 2021
Steelers defensive end Melvin Ingram wants out of Pittsburgh because of a decrease in playing time, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Aditi Kinkhabwala.
The Kansas City Chiefs made an offer for Ingram, per Kinkhabwala, but the Steelers are reluctant to trade him to an AFC team.
Ingram averaged 83.3 percent of defensive snaps through the first three weeks of the season. He's averaged 45 percent of defensive snaps over the past three weeks.
The 32-year-old's decrease in playing time is linked to an increase in playing time for T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Ingram only played 100 percent of Pittsburgh's defensive snaps in Week 3 because Watt and Highsmith were dealing with injuries. He also saw more playing time in a Week 2 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders because Watt exited early with an injury.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters during his weekly press conference that Ingram's snap count is primarily tied to the health of the guys in front of him on the depth chart.
"Reps change based on player availability," Tomlin said, as transcribed by Steelers Depot. "T.J. has missed some time. Alex Highsmith has missed some time. ... Both of those guys are back from injury. And so when you have everybody available, there's going to be less snaps. It's just football."
It's not surprising that the Chiefs made an offer for Ingram as they are looking for pass-rush help ahead of the trade deadline. Chris Jones and Mike Danna lead Kansas City in pressures this season, and the team needs more depth at the position.
Kansas City is third in the AFC West with a 3-4 record and is still very much in play for the division lead. The Raiders lead the division at 5-2, but a resurgent second half from the Chiefs could propel them into that top spot.
Kinkhabwala also mentions that the Arizona Cardinals might be interested in acquiring Ingram at the deadline. Star defensive end J.J. Watt is likely headed for season-ending shoulder surgery, and while Arizona isn't desperate for help considering it has the best record in football, adding Ingram would help fill the gap.
Ingram was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Los Angeles Chargers. He recorded 49 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, three interceptions, 360 tackles, 70 tackles for a loss and 108 quarterback hits in 113 games across nine seasons.