5 veteran free agents to boost the Carolina Panthers pass-rush in 2022
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers could target Melvin Ingram
Another potential free-agent target that has close connections to the Carolinas is Melvin Ingram. The prolific pass-rusher enjoyed a standout college career with the South Carolina Gamecocks before embarking on the NFL, where he was once regarded as one of the league’s most feared edge defenders thanks to his physicality and explosiveness.
Ingram spent last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs, gaining two sacks, 25 tackles, 11 quarterback hits, four tackles for loss, and 22 pressures en route to an impressive 79.7 grade from Pro Football Focus. This would be another short-term solution for the Carolina Panthers, but one that could benefit them and allow the player to compete closer to home.
Experience is something that the Panthers aren’t blessed with much thanks to possessing one of the league’s youngest rosters. Ingram would bring that in abundance and judging by his production last time around, he still has one or two good years left before calling it a day.
There just no telling what a player like Ingram could do for the development of Yetur Gross-Matos and perhaps even Brian Burns. Helping out on the field is just an added bonus.
Ingram is a tone-setter that would probably welcome a chance to turn out at Bank of America Stadium. A place where his family could easily attend every game and watch the pass-rusher at the tail-end of a glittering career.