Pittsburgh Steelers boost defense with addition of Melvin Ingram



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PITTSBURGH – The Steelers sign point rusher Melvin Ingram, his agent confirmed on social media Monday.

Ingram signs a one-year contract, according to NFL Network.

Ingram, 32, fills a major void in the Steelers’ defense left by Bud Dupree’s free agency departure for the Tennessee Titans.

“I met the coach [Mike] Tomlin, “Ingram told NFL reporter Josina Anderson.” You can tell he’s very involved and he’s 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.”

Ingram, who sparked interest from other NFL teams and visited the Steelers on Monday, will compete for the position against TJ Watt who is currently occupied by second-year outside linebacker Alex Highsmith.

With Dupree’s exit, the depth behind Watt and Highsmith was dangerously thin. NFL mate Cassius Marsh and sixth-round pick Quincy Roche were to be the main substitutes.

Ingram, a first-round pick in 2012, had spent his nine-year career with the Chargers, racking up 49 sacks – fourth in franchise history – en route to three consecutive Pro Bowl nominations from 2017 to 2019.

He only appeared in seven games last season due to a lingering knee injury that placed him twice in the injured reserve, and he failed to register a sack for the first time in his career. The Chargers chose not to sign him again after his four-year, $ 64 million contract expired after the 2020 season.

Information from ESPN’s Shelley Smith was used in this report.

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