Why the LA Chargers could surprisingly re-sign Melvin Ingram

The common consensus is this offseason that the LA Chargers are going to part ways with long-time defensive end, Melvin Ingram. Ingram is a free agent this offseason, is up there in age and is a big name that the team seemingly cannot afford.

Heading into the season you could make the case that Ingram and Hunter Henry would essentially be competing to be re-signed by the Chargers. Henry is coming off of a franchise-tagged season in which he stayed healthy and built a really good rapport with Justin Herbert.

Henry seemingly won the competition to be re-signed by the LA Chargers.

However, he may not be the only one that gets re-signed. While most fans have moved on from Ingram already, there is a sneaky good chance that Tom Telesco surprises us and brings Ingram back into the fold.

Here is why.

1. Melvin Ingram is going to be a cheap signing for the LA Chargers

The LA Chargers absolutely cannot afford to pay Ingram a premium contract but is he even going to get that at this point in his career? Ingram’s market value is not as high as some may think and the Chargers could get him at a discount.

Over The Cap values Ingram at $1.5 million. While he will undoubtedly get more than that, he very well could only get in the $4-5 million range. If that is the case, the Chargers could afford to bring him back into the fold.

Ingram is on the wrong side of 30 and is coming off of a season in which he suffered several injuries. No team is going to offer him as much as they would if he would have stayed healthy for the entire season, let alone if he was younger.

Everson Griffen, who was in a much better position than Ingram is in now, got a one-year, $6 million contract last offseason. A two-year, $8 million contract with incentives and a club option for year two is absolutely feasible.