Miami Dolphins Beef Up Defensive Line With Addition Of Pro Bowl Pass-Rusher

KEY POINTS

The Miami Dolphins have signed Melvin Ingram to bolster their defensive side
Melvin Ingram us expected to also mentor a young Jaelan Phillips
The addition of Ingram will pose bigger problems for the offense of opposing NFL teams

The Miami Dolphins have had a busy offseason, and the latest name added to the roster is pass-rusher Melvin Ingram.

Per league sources first reported by Jordan Schultz, the Dolphins and the three-time Pro Bowler have agreed to a contract.

This means that the Dolphins add depth to the team’s pass-rush game, ranked as one of the most aggressive in the NFL last season, ESPN reported.

The native of North Carolina visited the Dolphins back in April.

The Kansas City Chiefs placed an unrestricted free agent tender on Ingram, a move that would ensure that he counts towards the NFL’s compensatory pick formula if he signed with a new team, CBS Sports reported.

Ingram was offered $4.4 million by the Chiefs, something that he could have signed at any time before the Dolphins deal happened.

The 33-year-old NFL player now joins a group of pass-rushers in Miami that includes Emmanuel Ogbah, Jaelan Phillips and Andrew Van Ginkel.

This group of pass rushers blitzed on 38% of opponents’ dropbacks in 2021. This was the second-highest rate in the league.

The addition of Ingram is also the first on the defensive side of things as most of the major acquisitions in the offseason have been on the offensive end.

Considered the biggest defensive addition for Miami, Ingram also joins a host of defensive free agents that have moved to South Beach. That includes Elandon Roberts, Brennan Scarlett and Duke Riley.

Aside from these additions, the Dolphins also added fourth-round pick Channing Tindall and seventh-round pick Cameron Goode.

Ingram, a former 18th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, first joined the San Diego Chargers.

After spending nine seasons there, he moved to the Pittsburgh Steelers in July 2021 after signing a one-year deal.

He played in just six games for the Steelers before he was traded to the Chiefs in November 2021.

With the Chiefs, the Pro Bowler recorded 15 combined tackles and one sack. In three postseason games, he recorded five combined tackles and two sacks.

Aside from shoring up the defensive end, Ingram is expected to serve as a mentor to Jaelan Phillips.

Since being removed from his last Pro Bowl campaign, he has recorded 48 combined tackles and seven sacks in 13 games.