Los Angeles Chargers should trade Melvin Ingram to the Tennessee Titans
By Will Lomas
How expensive would Melvin Ingram be?
Over The Cap had a great article on this where they remind everyone that being on the open market doesn’t guarantee Melvin Ingram a big deal. In fact, they suggest that Ingram should be very careful about hitting the open market:
"Free agency was not exactly kind to the productive veteran pass rusher this offseason. Mario Addison was the top signing around $10 million a season. Everson Griffen sat on the sidelines until mid August and signed for just $6 million. Cameron Wake, Terrell Suggs, Ziggy Ansah and Clay Matthews all have gone unsigned. With money expected to dry up in 2021 due to the pandemic it will probably be worse for this group of players next year."
So I would say a fair deal is 3 years, $24 million with $8 million guaranteed. That may seem cheap, but the Titans gave Cameron Wake a 3 year, $23 million deal with $7 million guaranteed, so this deal is actually a little larger with more guaranteed money.
This “restructure” could also allow the Titans to completely mitigate any long term damage to the cap by structuring it like:
2020: $8.375 million, $4 million in GTD (it would actually be $11 million with just over $6 million because the Chargers still owe him $2.625 in GTD)
2021: $8 million, $2 million in GTD (gives the Titans the option to cut and save $6 million)
2022: $7.625 million, $2 million in GTD