The Kansas City Chiefs have managed to get Pro Bowl outside linebacker Melvin Ingram from the Pittsburgh Steelers, after all. The team officially confirmed the move on Tuesday.
The Chiefs have been pursuing Ingram for some time now, but the Steelers were reportedly hesitant to send the player to an AFC rival. Still, the sixth-round compensation that Kansas City ended up offering was too good to pass, and Pittsburgh ended up making the deal.
Ingram joined the Steelers in the free agency after previously making three Pro Bowl appearances in his nine years with the Los Angeles Chargers. Although the veteran was supposed to be an important addition to Pittsburgh’s talented defense, he never got a chance to make a meaningful impact.
During his time with the Steelers, Ingram only made one start in six games while contributing with 10 tackles, one sack, and six QB hits. The 32-year-old became increasingly frustrated with the lack of playing time lately, causing him to make a trade request last week.
Ingram is expected to have a more prominent role in Kansas City, considering that the Chiefs need all the help they can get on defense. They are especially struggling to get to the opposing quarterbacks, ranking second to last in NFL with just 11 sacks in 2021.
The Steelers, on the other hand, are now expected to lean even more on 2020’s third-round pick Alex Highsmith in Ingram’s absence. Highsmith started six games this season and has 1.5 sacks to go with 25 tackles and four QB hits.
