Chiefs Trade for Former Chargers, Steelers DE Melvin Ingram

In a rare trade deadline splash, the Chiefs are making an effort to add to their pass rush

Just hours after narrowly defeating the New York Giants on Monday Night Football and hours before the NFL's trade deadline, the Kansas City Chiefs made a rare deadline-day move, acquiring defensive end Melvin Ingram from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Melvin Ingram just told me he is going to the #Chiefs.

— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) November 2, 2021

First reported by Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, the 32-year-old pass-rusher will join the Chiefs for the remainder of the 2021 season after visiting the Chiefs this offseason before leaving team facilities without a deal. 

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Chiefs will be sending a sixth-round pick to Pittsburgh for Ingram, as he joins a defensive end group highlighted by Chris Jones, Frank Clark, Mike Danna, Alex Okafor and the injured Joshua Kaindoh.

Last week, Aditi Kikhabwala of NFL Network reported that the Chiefs were interested in Ingram, but that the Steelers were hesitant to trade him within the AFC.

As I said last week, the #Steelers didn’t want to send the pass rusher to an AFC foe if they could avoid it. But they told Ingram they weren’t going to let him go for nothing, and there were ultimately no other suitors. Maybe he’ll get the playing time there he wanted in PIT. https://t.co/R2CimR352r

— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) November 2, 2021

Before his short-lived stint in Pittsburgh, Ingram spent his entire career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers. In nine years with the Chargers, Ingram recorded 49 sacks and 360 tackles in 113 games. However, Ingram didn't record a sack in the 2020 season as he battled injuries over the course of the year.

We have acquired DE Melvin Ingram in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. pic.twitter.com/lUrqOez6KJ

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 2, 2021

Ingram played just 20 games over his last two years with the Chargers, with 13 in 2019 and seven in 2020. Ingram did have seven sacks and 12 quarterback hits in 2019 in just 13 games and another seven and 16 in 2018 — his last year playing all 16 games.

Ingram's 2015-18 stretch made him a premier pass-rushing name to know with 36 sacks, 80 quarterback hits, 15 passes defended and 10 forced fumbles over 64 games, playing 16 in all five years.

Read More: Four Takeaways From the Chiefs' 20-17 Win Over the Giants