Getty Defensive end Joey Bosa #99 of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrates his sack with defensive end Melvin Ingram #54.
The New York Giants want to retain Leonard Williams. It’s in their best interest to retain Leonard Williams. And according to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, there is mutual interest in getting a deal done. However, Williams’ breakout 2020 campaign makes the financial aspect of putting such a plan into motion quite a bit more difficult.
Yet, even if New York is able to hammer out a contract with Williams, the team would still lack a legitimate presence on the edge of their defense. Strapped of spending money this offseason, the Giants will likely have to get cute in order to upgrade their pass-rush.
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Melvin Ingram Headed to New York?
The Shaq Barretts and Yannick Ngakoues of the world will probably be too rich for the G-Men’s pockets. Instead, Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton believes there’s a far more realistic chance the team kicks the tires on three-time Pro Bowler, Melvin Ingram.
Considering his age and injury history, Ingram isn’t likely to sign a contract comparable to the top pass-rushers on the open market, but teams should feel comfortable signing him to a deal at around $8-10 million per year.
Even if the New York Giants re-sign or franchise-tag defensive lineman Leonard Williams, they’ll need help on the edge.
In 2020, Kyler Fackrell led the Giants’ outside linebackers in sacks (four) and quarterback pressures (14). Barring an extension, he’s set to become a free agent.
Oshane Ximines (shoulder) and Lorenzo Carter (Achilles) played only nine games combined because of injuries. Both defenders still need time to develop on the edge. As a battle-tested veteran, Ingram could serve as an example for the two young outside linebackers while filling a void within the Giants’ front seven.
Ingram’s Injury History, Production & Finances
As Moton alluded to, Ingram has battled injuries throughout his time with the Chargers, including a 2020 campaign in which the former first-rounder appeared in just seven games. With that said, the majority of Ingram’s injuries throughout his NFL tenure came much earlier in his career. Over his first three seasons in the league, Ingram appeared in just 29 of his 48 possible games. Yet, from that point on, he rallied off four consecutive 16-game campaigns, including appearing in 77 of his potential 80 games from 2015-2019.
With that said, more times than not, teams will try to short-sell a player when it comes to negotiations. Combine Ingram’s injury history and age (soon-to-be 32 years old), and the market will likely dictate that the North Carolina native falls far short of his once-lucrative four-year, $64 million deal from back in 2017.
While Ingram won’t be had for nothing, the Giants are in the midst of clearing cap space, already cutting bait with Golden Tate and looking as if Kevin Zeitler is soon to follow. Moton also highlights post-June 1 cut candidates Nate Solder and Jabrill Peppers as ways to free up cash – although we still push back at the idea of moving on from the latter.
Over his 11-year pro career, Ingram has tallied 49.0 sacks and 108 quarterback hits. While injuries greatly limited his production in 2020, don’t let that nor age fool you, Ingram can still play. Entering last year, Ingram was riding a three-year streak of Pro Bowl nods and had accumulated 43.0 of his 49.0 sacks over just the past five years. In fact, in 2019 Ingram’s pass-rush win rate when facing two-plus blockers of 22.5% ranked third in all of football, behind only Joey Bosa and J.J. Watt, per PFF’s Pro Football Focus’ Neil Hornsby.
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