General manager Brett Veach didn’t mince words when asked about the impact of defensive end Melvin Ingram in a midseason trade. The Kansas City Chiefs were not only very happy with the results of the deal, but they were also very open to conversations that would bring him back into the fold for another year.
In a postseason press conference on Monday, Veach spoke with reporters about a number of topics and he was asked about a few pending free agents. Melvin Ingram was one name brought up and Veach was asked about the potential of seeing him back in Arrowhead Stadium in 2022.
“I do think if a guy like Melvin decides he wants to come back back and play, I think we’d be at the top of his list,” said Veach. “That’s something we’ll work to keep a dialogue open with.”
The Kansas City Chiefs say they are interested in leaving the door open for Melvin Ingram to return in 2022 if he’s interested.
The biggest hurdle in the way of getting something done sooner than later is part of what makes Ingram such a valuable contributor in the first place. It’s his experience that made him such a standout addition for the Chiefs defensive line at the NFL’s trade deadline on November 2, but it’s also that same level of experience that allows the pass rusher to remain patient throughout the offseason.
“Sometimes some of these older players are really patient. If they don’t get exactly what they want, they’d rather wait and let these things unfold,” said Veach.
“With Melvin, I think it will be very similar to last year. I think he’ll be a guy who will want to take his time. He’s played a lot of snaps. He’s still a productive player. He still can help a team. He still would be of interest to us. I think he’ll go through the process of taking some time, getting with his family, seeing where he wants to play, and what makes sense for him.”
Going back to the trade itself, Veach explained that the two sides simply weren’t able to come to terms on a deal during the offseason in free agency and the Chiefs were forced to wait. By that point, the Steelers came in with the right offer and situation that convinced Ingram to sign with Pittsburgh instead.
However, as things went awry in Pittsburgh and Ingram wasn’t turning out to be in the plans nearly as much as expected, Veach said they got wind the Steelers might be willing to move him at the deadline.
“We just stayed aggressive and kept calling them back,” said Veach. “Then we were able to bring him here and obviously he had a tremendous impact. He solidified the depth at that position, allowed Chris to play more inside, more of his natural technique, but then his leadership and approach I think elevated everyone else’s game.
“I don’t think it was just a fluke that the defense took off from there. We had a really good string of late-season football and I think he was a huge part of that.”
Given his impact in the last several games of the season, the Chiefs have good reason to keep those conversations going with Ingram moving forward. It’s a long offseason and it might take some considerable time before we know whether or not he will be back next season. But the wait will be worth it once again, if so.