Melvin Ingram trains in Miami in the off-season.
Rumors are Melvin Ingram wants to play for the Dolphins.
The Miami Dolphins will be gearing up for the off-season free agent market that starts in the beginning of March, and Melvin Ingram the cream of the crop as far as linebackers.
So, with large amount of cap space, will this finally be the year that the Dolphins address the linebacking position with more than band-aids?
Linebacker is a position that they have tried to fill over the years with big signings such as Karlos Dansby in 2010, and Dannell Ellerbe in 2013.
Neither of these players were able to perform up to their hefty contracts.
Since then, Miami has had too many other positions in need of upgrade instead of LB that the linebacker position never received the proper attention and upgrade.
One of the main reasons for the 2016 Dolphins defensive failures was because of the void at linebacker.
So after Ellerbe was released in 2014, the Dolphins did not address this position until last off-season when they traded for Kiko Alonso. Most pay per head bookie service fans would agree that Alonso played extremely well last season and was one of Miami’s best off-season moves.
Now Miami must give Alonso some help, because the LB core is still two starting linebackers short of having a quality group.
One player that must immediately be on the radar in 2017 Free Agency is San Diego Chargers Outside Linebacker Ingram.
Ingram just completed his 5th year in the league and will be one of the big free agents available. He had a slow start to his football career due to injuries over his first 3 seasons. But, over his last two seasons, Ingram has been healthy and a force to be reckoned with.
Ingram is a play maker who can get to the passer.
Part of his resurgence is due to his time in Miami: ” Ingram worked with a private trainer in Miami who completely revamped his diet and oversaw an intense workout program that included heavy cardio and boxing. Ingram learned to replace fatty meats, starches and carbohydrates with proteins and vegetables and as a result, he reported to camp 20 pounds lighter than he’d been in previous seasons, along with a body-fat count that dropped to eight percent,” Anthony Lynn, Chargers.com.
During his last two seasons he has played in all 32 games, amassing 125 tackles, 18.5 sacks, 7 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery.
He is a play making linebacker that has the ability to get to the Quarterback. This is exactly the type of linebacker that the Dolphins need to add to the defense. We do not have any linebackers on our roster that have the ability to get to the QB — including Alonzo — so, Ingram ‘could’ be a perfect addition.
Two problems migh be a blockade to this connection though: Ingram is not going to be cheap — not even close, which could also drive up Alonso’s price; and, Ingram played in a 3-4, so his skill set and history isn’t 100% correlative with his role on the Dolphins defense.
This second issue has been a problem in the past when Miami has spent big on player from a different system, only to find him unable to duplicate his previous successes.
But, Miami needs to spend either money on this position, or high picks, or both, if they want to get better at this position. Maybe big bucks on Ingram might be a lot of money well spent? Go Fins!!!