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Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram's recent holdout from the team's training camp has drawn a lot of attention. His decision to sit out from practices is indicative of his frustrations in his contract. The former South Carolina Gamecock is entering the final year of his four-year, $66 million contract signed back in 2017.
Ingram's defensive line teammate Joey Bosa voiced his sentiments regarding the developing situation:
Article Continues Below“We’ve talked a little bit and all I have to say is I’m going to support him,” Bosa said, via Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times. “He’s going to make the best decision for him and his family. I have faith in him that he’s going to make the right decisions. . . . At the end of the day, it is a business and he has to take care of himself. I think he would love to play with us. He wants to be out there. But he’s gotta handle business.”
Melvin Ingram is one of the elder statesmen of the Chargers' defensive line. He became a part of the organization when the then-San Diego Chargers selected him with the 18th pick in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. His eight-year tenure with the team saw him bag a total of three Pro Bowl appearances.
Ingram finished the 2019 season with 39 tackles, seven sacks, five passes defended, and an interception across 13 games. The Chargers' younger players namely third-year player Uchenna Nwosu and undrafted rookie Jessie Lemonier saw reps in lieu of Ingram's absence.
The veteran's frustration with his contract is not a good sign for the cause of the rebuilding Chargers. The following weeks will see if Ingram will be able to iron things out and land his desired extension with the team.
