Melvin Ingram Signing Puts Pressure on Steelers in Addition to Opponents
The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to sign free agent pass rusher Melvin Ingram to a one-year deal, which makes a ton of sense for what he can offer the team, but the financial reality puts more pressure on this team to deliver in 2021.
This is a really smart move in terms of upgrading their defensive front and pass rush. Even though Alex Highsmith looked pretty promising in his rookie season after Bud Dupree went down to a torn ACL, this gives the Steelers proven depth and a terrific fit in their scheme. Ingram is really well suited to be an excellent pass rusher opposite T.J. Watt, giving them another element to their defensive approach.
This takes some pressure off of Highsmith to be great entering his second year as a full time replacement for Dupree, who signed with the Tennessee Titans in the offseason. Ingram, 32, is still an effective player when he's on the field, but he has missed a combined 12 games the past two seasons. He excels as a pass rusher and can drop into coverage pretty well.
Highsmith is lighter than Dupree was last year and played the position differently. He's not as stout at the point of attack as the heavy padded Dupree, but he has more range and the ability to drop into coverage, which was never Dupree's strong suit. He was a power player.
There's no obvious division of labor between these two as they largely excel in the same areas at least based on what Highsmith showed as a rookie. That could still see the younger Highsmith on more running downs and Ingram on more passing downs, but that may not be resolved until training camp.
Ingram goes from a good situation operating across from Joey Bosa with the Los Angeles Chargers to a great one with Watt, Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt. The Steelers already had the best front four in the NFL even if they put a crash test dummy out there at the fourth spot, but this ensures they can do deeper and keep up the pressure against opponents.
The potential problem for the Steelers is entirely financial. Regardless of the amount Ingram signed for, the Steelers likely got a deal in terms of value. It's difficult to imagine Ingram will get anything beyond $5 million, which is a steal if Ingram can stay healthy even at 32 years old.
However, the Steelers are dealing in this financial reality where they have lost a significant number of starters from last year's team due to salary cap limitations. The Steelers can definitely afford Ingram, so it's not a question of Ingram versus another player. It's really about Ingram versus cap space they can rollover into 2022 as they try to get their financial house in order for future seasons.
As a result, the signing of Ingram puts pressure on the Steelers team to compete this year. This has been an interesting debate in terms of how the Steelers want to proceed. They could have potentially really stripped down the team to the studs, save for players like Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick, who they want to keep for the long run in order to reset their cap as quickly as possible while perhaps putting themselves in position to get a top quarterback prospect for life after Ben Roethlisberger.
Instead, the Steelers are still trying to give themselves the strongest roster they possibly can, looking to compete in 2021, which fits head coach Mike Tomlin. If they struggle against a widow making schedule this season, moves like Ingram will look like a waste of time and cost them future financial flexibility. The Steelers are clearly okay with that, sending the message to this locker room and coaching staff they are expected to continue with their streak of dominance.
Even if the Steelers were to struggle and miss the playoffs this season, teams are going to have to figure out a way to block this dangerous front, which is far easier said than done. They may lose more games than last year, but they take a few quarterbacks with them. There's at least an argument that this front with Ingram and Highsmith with some experience under his belt is better than last year's group with Dupree and Highsmith as a rookie.
As more teams come to the end of a run, they tear down the roster for both draft assets and cap flexibility to rebuild. This is what makes the Steelers particularly interesting, going against that trend and looking to compete regardless of their financial limitations, staying true to the team's history. Their staunch determination is admirable but comes with some risks that could backfire.
