KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs made a trade Tuesday to bolster their anemic pass rush.
Kansas City is sending a sixth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for former Los Angeles Chargers pass rusher Melvin Ingram. NFL reporter Ian Rapoport first reported the news, which the Chiefs later confirmed.
Melvin Ingram had quietly asked to be traded and Pittsburgh accomodated. Now, he lands in KC, which had held talks with the #Steelers for the last few weeks. https://t.co/csZBBRVD70
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 2, 2021
Pittsburgh confirmed that the deal was for a sixth-round pick.
Ingram, 32, played his first nine NFL seasons in the league with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers before signing with the Steelers in the offseason.
He battled knee injuries in recent years with the Chargers, but the Chiefs still hope he has enough left in the tank to help their pass rush.
Kansas City ranks last in the NFL with 11 sacks in eight games, but defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's 4-3 scheme is predicated on the pass rush.
During his NFL career, Ingram has racked up 50 sacks in 119 games.
Ingram visited the Chiefs during the free-agent signing period, but he left town in late March without a deal. He eventually signed a one-year deal worth $4 million from Pittsburgh in July.
In six games this season, Ingram, a 2012 first-round pick by the Chargers out of the University of South Carolina, has 10 tackles, including a sack, and six quarterback hits.
He was selected to the Pro Bowl in three straight seasons from 2017 to 2019.
The Chiefs still had an open spot on the 53-man roster after placing tight end Jody Fortson on injured reserve, so no corresponding move is necessary to add Ingram.
