Melvin Ingram hit with the franchise tag by Los Angeles Chargers

One of the better free agent pass rushers isn’t going anywhere. The Los Angeles Chargers have franchise tagged outside linebacker Melvin Ingram for 2017.

Before the Wednesday deadline, the Los Angeles Chargers had a decision to make about one of the better defensive players from 2016. Los Angeles wisely decided to use the 2017 franchise tag on outside linebacker Melvin Ingram.

Ingram joins the likes of other strong pending free agents getting slapped with the 2017 franchise tag: Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short, New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, and Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Chandler Jones.

Ingram was coming off his best year in the NFL out of South Carolina. However, the Chargers have a new defensive staff in place due to the offseason coaching change and overall relocation of the franchise.

Some thought that Ingram could have followed his former Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano to the division rival Oakland Raiders. However, it seems that new head coach Anthony Lynn doesn’t want his defensive coordinator Gus Bradley to miss out on coaching Ingram.

Bradley will likely run the 4-3 Under base with the Cover 3 concepts in the back-end like he did when he was with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Seattle Seahawks before that. The Chargers certainly had their issues last season, but this team is chock full of talent.

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Using the franchise tag on Ingram likely means that Los Angeles believes in him long-term. While it is only a one-year deal, Ingram was one of the few players worthy of the tag that could have walked away in free agency. It really came down to scheme fit in Bradley’s defense and if Ingram was up to following the Chargers north to Los Angeles.