Green Bay Packers need to make a trade for Melvin Ingram
The Green Bay Packers are coming together swimmingly despite serious injuries to important players on both sides of the football, they continue to find ways to not only win but dominate their opponents each week.
However, there are only so many injuries a team can handle before their talent pool begins to run dry, and it’s beginning to look eerie on Green Bay’s defense, particularly with the pass rush.
As the trade deadline is quickly approaching, there are options for which the Packers can address to improve their already championship-contending roster.
One of the names that has risen recently is Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher Melvin Ingram, as his frustrations with snap management have reached a boiling point.
The Green Bay Packers need to offer a trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Melvin Ingram.
As @RapSheet reported this weekend, OLB Melvin Ingram does indeed want out of Pittsburgh after seeing a reduction in his playing time. I’m told KC made an offer, but the #Steelers ideally don’t want to send him to an AFC team. Could the #Cardinals make a good trade partner?
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) October 28, 2021
The 10-year veteran pass-rusher has a lot to show for his career, but none of which includes a Super Bowl ring, which was his motivation in joining the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2021 NFL season.
As the season approaches Week 8, though, Ingram has seen his role in the Steel Curtain defense diminish, as the team has shuffled around players in the depth chart providing more playing time for guys not named Melvin Ingram.
From Weeks 1 – 6 (BYE week in Week 7), the 6’2″ 247-pound linebacker has seen greater than 70% or more snaps in a single game just twice on the year, which came from their Week 2 loss to the Raiders (86%) and their Week 3 loss to the Bengals (100%).
In their most recent contest against the Seattle Seahawks, Ingram participated in just 17 defensive snaps (26%) in their 23-20 victory. As a result, the three-time Pro-Bowler has decided enough is enough, and wants out.
While the Kansas City Chiefs have already pitched an offer to the Steelers for the veteran, the team declined due to an unwillingness to trade him to another team in the AFC. This leads to the opportunity for an auction from NFC contenders looking to add reliability and experience in their front-seven attack. One team that’s already been rumored to be linked is the Arizona Cardinals, but another could be the Green Bay Packers.
Outside of players like Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark, the Packers have a difficult time finding consistent pressure from the other members on the defensive front. With no timetable on star EDGE Za’Darius Smith’s return, a trade is necessary if the team is truly committed to winning it all with quarterback Aaron Rodgers in a Last Dance run, even with the recent addition of Whitney Mercilus.
Melvin Ingram has contributed a sack, six QB hits, and 11 pressures during 19 called blitzes. In comparison, just three players on Green Bay has six or more hits on the quarterback, and one of them, Preston Smith, is dealing with injuries and inconsistent play.
The Packers need another weapon. Without superstar cornerback Jaire Alexander in the secondary, getting pressure up front is more important than ever as it gives opposing receivers less time to run their routes, making it easy on the weakened secondary.
The team currently has a top-10 overall defense, with most of their success coming from stopping the pass. Though the Packers rank 22nd in the NFL in terms of stopping the run, and adding a beefy linebacker who can demolish blocks will surely aid in that category.
At the end of the day, the Packers have enough draft picks to make some deals, but it’s up to general manager Brian Gutekunst if he wants to keep his word on the team going “all-in” to bring the Lombardi Trophy back home.