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The Pittsburgh Steelers made waves in national media on Monday when they were able to sign former Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram to a one-year, $ 4 million contract.
In case you missed Ingram’s breach of contract and the space the Steelers have left, see below.
After the dust settled on the news, several fans and members of the media wondered why an established player like Ingram would choose the Steelers. After all, it has been reported that the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, among others, have also served as Ingram.
What made him choose the Steelers over these teams? Well, former ESPN reporter Josina Anderson got the scoop when she spoke to Ingram shortly after the deal was closed. That’s what Ingram had to say about why he chose Pittsburgh as his home for the 2021 season.
“I just closed the deal not too long ago and just arrived at the airport. It’s definitely a dope organization and environment; so I really think this is the place for me. Ingram told Anderson.
“I met the coach [Mike] Tomlin. You can tell he is very involved and a player coach. This is what marked me. He wants to win and that’s what I’m on. My role is my role. He just told me to come and be me. Everyone knows how I play.
There are times when being a “player coach” is seen as a negative, but in this case it seems to have been a deciding factor in Ingram’s coming to Pittsburgh.
It also looks like the Steelers are doing their best to put together a Championship squad for 2021, and if they are able to do that, that would be a huge achievement given the lower salary cap before the start of the new year of the league.
Nonetheless, Ingram’s mere presence will be a huge improvement for the Steelers’ defense. What was an extremely thin positional group in the outside linebacker has just joined a veteran playmaker.
Does that mean the organization has abandoned Alex Highsmith? Absolutely not. But it also means they don’t have to rely on the second-year linebacker to step in and perform at a high level right away. In fact, you might suggest that the trio of TJ Watt, Highsmith and Ingram could be one of the best rushing passing lines in the entire NFL.
Now, if Ingram can just stay healthy … but that’s a topic of discussion for another time. In the meantime, the Steelers fan base should be excited about the potential Ingram brings to black and gold for 2021.
Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest black and gold news and notes as they prepare for the 2021 regular season.
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