Melvin Ingram rumors: 5 best fits in NFL free agency

Where should the star Chargers defender take his talents once he hits the open market? 

Melvin Ingram has been a stalwart along the Los Angeles’ Chargers defensive line, a team captain, and half of a dominant pass-rush duo opposite Joey Bosa, but there’s a good chance he’ll be available as an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Ingram, 31, is coming off a season in which he produced just 10 tackles in seven games, prior to suffering a season-ending knee injury.

“His market is one that’s tough to assess,” a league source tells FanSided. “He’s a productive player, but nowhere close to what he used to be. He’s not going to get $14 million again … ”

While Ingram might not be an every-down player, he has the chance to be an affordable option for a team looking to give its pass-rush a boost. Last season, prior to his injury, Ingram produced a 72.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, with a 76.3 pass-rush mark, underscoring his ability to still get after the quarterback.

In a year where teams won’t be able to necessarily break the bank in free agency, due to the salary cap possibly being as low as $180 million, Ingram could make sense on a one-year prove-it deal for a competitor, or an incentive laden contract with money tied to the back-end of the deal.

NFL Rumors: Where will Melvin Ingram sign?

The Denver Broncos have yet to make a decision on Miller’s contract option that calls for him to count $22.5 million against the cap, but if they move on from the future Hall of Famer, Ingram will likely be among the first pass-rushers on the Broncos’ target list.

Without Miller last season, the Broncos still produced 42 sacks, but in a division that now features both Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, Denver is going to need to be much more disruptive moving forward.

Already poised with $31.1 million in cap space, the Broncos can create $18 million more by declining Von Miller’s option, while absorbing a dead-money charge of just $4.12 million. If Denver moves on from Miller, expect them to be a strong suitor for Ingram.