Melvin Ingram: 5 best fits in NFL free agency

Melvin Ingram has been a solid pass rusher for the Los Angeles Chargers these last few years. Here are five solid fits for him in 2017 NFL free agency.

In his last two NFL seasons, former first round pick out of South Carolina outside linebacker Melvin Ingram has been a solid pass rusher for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers. After three miserable years in the NFL, Ingram has sacked the opposing quarterback 18.5 times in the last two seasons.

Ingram will be hitting unrestricted free agency. Pass rushers are always a premium in the NFL and Los Angeles will have to seriously consider using the franchise tag on its veteran outside linebacker. That would mean Los Angeles would be slapping the tag on Ingram for roughly $14.6 million on a one-year deal.

Ingram will be highly coveted by a few teams this offseason in free agency. Here are the five best fits for the soon-to-be 28-year-old pass rusher.

San Francisco 49ers

NFC, West

With a new head coach and general manager in tote with Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch respectively, the San Francisco 49ers will try their best to crawl out of the NFC cellar. Both men know that quarterback and pass rushing are two areas they’ll need to improve their team this offseason.

San Francisco had 33 quarterback sacks, slightly less than the league average. Really what did the 49ers in more than anything was terrible quarterback play, zero run defense, and an overall organization dysfunctional behavior. Providing a ferocious pass rush can only help, right?

Getting 9.5 sacks a year from a player like Ingram could have the 49ers pushing towards the top-10 in the NFL. It would be a good starting point for this massive turnaround Lynch and Shanahan are undertaking.

San Francisco will have many draft picks, including the No. 2 overall selection. The 49ers will also have the second-most cap space to improve their football team, with a projected $81,885,485 to work with.

Staying in California is definitely a possibility for Ingram should he leave the Chargers organization. While he could get paid and take on a prominent leadership role in the 49ers defense, does he want to leave dysfunctional Los Angeles for an even more dysfunctional football situation in San Francisco?

Oct 30, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Melvin Ingram (54) during the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Oakland Raiders

AFC, West

The Oakland Raiders had its best season in well over a decade in 2016. However, it wasn’t just the Derek Carr injury that had the Raiders season ending in disappointment. One thing that went unnoticed nationally with this team was that Oakland could not rush the passer.

Jack Del Rio’s defense mustered a league-worst 25 quarterback sacks. Add in that outside linebacker Khalil Mack is an unbelievable player and Oakland’s pass rushing issues look substantially worse.

Fortunately for Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie, he will have ample salary cap space to make his AFC West contending team better this offseason. The Raiders will have $48,945,414 to work with this offseason. It’s not as much as last year, but it’s enough to help make Oakland a Super Bowl contender.

Getting Carr healthy and surrounding him with a few complementary pieces should have the Raiders as one of the best teams in the AFC not named the New England Patriots. This is a team on the rise that Ingram could have interest playing for.

The only issues with going to the Raiders would be that Ingram would be labeled a traitor for signing with an AFC West rival of the Chargers. Add in the notion of another California franchise with stadium issues and it may be hard for Ingram to seriously consider signing with the Raiders.

Nov 6, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Melvin Ingram (54) runs onto the field during players introductions before the game against the Tennessee Titans at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Chargers

AFC, West

Ingram could always re-up with the Chargers. Yes, he won’t be playing for former Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano, now with the Raiders. However, Ingram does get a solid defensive mind with the new coaching regime.

Joining Anthony Lynn’s staff in Los Angeles will be former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley. Before failing as a head coach in Jacksonville, Bradley was an elite defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks under Pete Carroll.

That coaching tree has spawned another interesting defense of note in the Atlanta Falcons, led by former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. In short, maybe a change to the Chargers defense could help Ingram be a 10+ sack pass rusher as he enters his prime?

Los Angeles will have only $21,928,850 to work with this offseason. Given that the Chargers front office is notoriously frugal, contract negotiations with Ingram could come to a standstill. Would they consider using the $14.6 million franchise tag on Ingram?

There are other young players on the Chargers defense that Los Angeles will likely want to keep long-term over Ingram. However, he has proven to be a very productive player his last two years in the league and that does matter. Los Angeles isn’t favored to keep Ingram, but it could happen.

Oct 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Melvin Ingram (54) reacts during the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Lions

NFC, North

There are a few teams to keep a serious eye on in 2017 NFL free agency. While they are not a top-10 team in terms of salary cap space, expect the Detroit Lions to be a maker and a shaker this offseason.

This is the opportunity for Lions general manager Bob Quinn to leave his mark on his new team. Detroit made the playoffs as a 9-7 Wild Card team. It was somewhat of a transitional year for the Lions, but they came out it way ahead of schedule.

Quinn will have $37,881,088 worth of salary cap space to work with this offseason. One area of his team he’ll need to improve is in the pass rush. Detroit only had 26 sacks last season, tied for the second-worst in the NFL with the lowly Cleveland Browns.

Ingram could be a huge boost in the Lions’ pass rush should he sign there. Pass rushers are expensive commodities, but perhaps his age could knock the price down a bit. Ingram will be 28 next season. While he’s still in his prime, he would command more if he was 25.

The Lions have a strong defensive coordinator in Teryl Austin. He might be a head coach here soon. By joining the Lions, Ingram could help their pass rush and see how far they can get in the NFC Playoffs.

Oct 13, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Melvin Ingram (54) gestures for a safety during the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Indianapolis Colts

AFC, South

As much as the Chargers may want to re-sign him, the best place for Ingram to land is with the Indianapolis Colts. They have a new general manager in Chris Ballard that aspires to transform a toothless Indianapolis defense.

To do that, Ballard will want to land productive players both in the 2017 NFL Draft and in free agency. Averaging almost 10 sacks a year the last two seasons should have Ingram in that discussion to possibly be a Colt.

Indianapolis does need help in orchestrating a pass rush. The Colts mustered only 33 quarterback sacks in 2016, the 10th worst in the NFL. While he would be losing his former defensive coordinator in Pagano unless he signs with the Raiders, Ingram could play for Pagano’s brother Chuck Pagano, the head coach of the Colts.

If he had a good relationship with his defensive coordinator in San Diego, Ingram could join a defensive scheme in Indianapolis he’s probably already familiar with. Indianapolis will have a projected $55,880,819 to work with this offseason.

Indianapolis is the leader for Ingram in free agency for three reasons: 1.) Pagano 2.) A need for a pass rusher. 3.) A playoff-caliber team that has the cap space to pay a premium for his talent. Ingram can play for a better team in Indianapolis and make more money than he probably would if he re-upped with the Chargers.