KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Melvin Ingram is headed to Kansas City after all.
The Chiefs have acquired Ingram, an edge rusher, from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a sixth-round draft pick, a source confirmed to The Kansas City Star.
Ingram, 32, took the long route to the Chiefs. He worked out in Kansas City in the spring but departed the facility without a deal in place.
He later signed with Pittsburgh, where he has one sack in six games this year. His playing time has dipped recently, making him expendable for the 4-3 Steelers. He did not play Sunday in Cleveland because of a groin injury after seeing just 17 snaps one week earlier. He has 10 tackles and six quarterback hits, per Pro Football Reference.
The Chiefs' lack of pass rush will make him a coveted commodity in Kansas City. The Chiefs (4-4) are second-to-last in the NFL with only 11 sacks, even after closing out Monday's win with sacks from Chris Jones and Frank Clark.
Ingram has a track record there. In a career that initially spanned nine years with the Chargers before the stop in Pittsburgh, Ingram has 50 career sacks. He had five straight seasons with at least seven sacks from 2015-19, matching career-highs of 10 1/2 in 2015 and 2017.
In 2021, Ingram has been credited with 18 pressures, per Pro Football Focus. He has a better pressure rate than any defensive end currently on the Chiefs roster, PFF statistics show.
USA Today first reported his trade, which arrives on the NFL's trade deadline day. All trades must be sent to the league office by 3 p.m. Tuesday.
The Chiefs on Sunday face the Packers, who have allowed 18 sacks this season.
Ingram will have two games against his former teams. The Chiefs travel to Los Angeles to play the Chargers in Week 15. They play host to the Steelers one week later, on Dec. 26.
