The story of the Miami Dolphins’ offseason, at its core, is that the franchise revamped its offense and stored its protection collectively.
However then one key free agent signing made it in order that the protection didn’t miss out on all of the offseason personnel additions.
Three-time Professional Bowl edge defender Melvin Ingram III signed with the Dolphins roughly two weeks in the past, and now Miami has one other move rusher it might rotate in for what seems to be a reasonably full defensive unit with dependable playmakers at each stage.
Ingram’s new marriage with the Dolphins is one his father, George Melvin Ingram Jr., in all probability hoped for way back. Regardless of dwelling in North Carolina, Ingram’s father was a Dolphins fan throughout some glory years when the franchise was persistently aggressive. Ingram misplaced his father to a coronary heart assault when Ingram was 9.
“I’ve considered him lots,” mentioned Ingram after Wednesday’s necessary minicamp apply. “If he was right here to see this, it’ll be loopy. However I do know he’s smiling down, and he’s comfortable. I do know that.
“I don’t understand how he picked the Dolphins, however he cherished them.”
Due to his father, the 33-year-old veteran referred to as it a dream to be in Miami.
“Simply because, rising up, I knew he was such an enormous Miami Dolphins fan,” he mentioned. “It’s undoubtedly been a dream, and thru the grace of God, it occurred.”
Ingram isn’t working towards with the Dolphins but throughout minicamp or the earlier weeks of organized group actions. In actual fact, he doesn’t even have his jersey quantity but in Miami. That hasn’t stopped him from remaining energetic at Dolphins practices. On Wednesday, he was seen in a hoodie serving to out the surface linebackers unit.
“It’s simply getting on the sphere with the fellows,” Ingram mentioned. “It’s moving into their routine of what they’re doing individually. It’s dope to be on the market with them.”
Even when the Dolphins haven’t but had an opportunity to line Ingram up on the sting and see what it appears like alongside or reverse of defensive finish Emmanuel Ogbah or fellow outdoors linebackers Jaelan Phillips and Andrew Van Ginkel, Ingram’s presence continues to be being felt at minicamp.
“That’s precisely why, all issues equal, he’s added worth for the Dolphins,” mentioned coach Mike McDaniel. “There’s a component of professional success and starvation. He’s making an attempt to show himself, as effectively, identical to his group is, and we’re doing that one sport at a time.”
And the complete allotment of labor will are available in due time.
“That’s one thing that we don’t wish to simply throw folks on the market to throw them on the market,” McDaniel mentioned. “They must be within the prerequisite form, and we’ve been working [in the offseason program] since April 4 with the remainder of the fellows. Proper now, that’s form of the restrict with which we’re comfy doing with him.”
Ingram mentioned he’ll be able to go together with the group by the beginning of coaching camp in late July.
He additionally hopes to have his quantity with the Dolphins chosen by then. For the 9 seasons (2012-2020) he spent with the Chargers, the place he made all three of his Professional Bowls (2017-19), Ingram wore No. 54. That quantity is accessible in Miami. His two that he wore final season — 8 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and 24 with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs — are occupied by Jevon Holland and Byron Jones, respectively.
Ingram noticed a resurgence to his Chargers days within the second half of final season with the Chiefs, turning into a starter after which contributing two sacks in three postseason video games for the AFC Championship Sport individuals.
New Dolphins extensive receiver Tyreek Hill, who performed his first six NFL seasons with the Chiefs, turned witness then to the influence Ingram could make on a brand new group.
“I’m very excited as a result of I actually know what Melvin can carry to a group,” Hill mentioned final week. “His mindset, simply the way in which that he approaches his work, his craft and he’s simply capable of get round guys like Christian [Wilkins] and Emmanuel [Ogbah], and it’s simply going to loopy.”
With 55 profession common and postseason sacks to his identify, Ingram speaks with the utmost confidence about what he’s bringing to the Dolphins.
“Me!” he replied to the query. After which he doubled down on the identical response when the reporter requested once more, pondering he was asking if the query was about him and never already telling him his reply.
Ingram battled via a number of knee accidents in his closing season with the Chargers earlier than his second-half surge in 2021. He experiences no bodily considerations inside two months of coaching camp.
“Similar approach I’ve been my entire profession,” Ingram mentioned. “I’m nonetheless me. I’m 200-percent wholesome. I really feel superb. Able to rock and roll.”
And the way in which he has performed entire profession has been with a imply streak.
“It’s a really violent sport, and you must be offended,” he mentioned. “That’s what this sport comes with. It’s a approach to launch anger, legally.”
Final offseason, Ingram additionally visited Miami then earlier than finally signing on with the Steelers. Of what he favored concerning the Dolphins, he mentioned: “All the things, from the coaching employees to the coaches to the folks up prime, the gamers, every thing. It’s a first-class group, and it’s simply one thing I needed to be part of. It’s a blessing to be right here.”
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