Chiefs and Ravens use underutilized resource to retain Melvin Ingram III and Justin Houston

The unrestricted free agent qualifying offer, which had not been used since 2020 in the NFL, could return exclusive trading rights to Kansas City and Baltimore, respectively.

KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City Chiefs Y Baltimore Ravens used the unrestricted free agent qualifying offer on defensive backs Melvin Ingram III Y justin houstonrespectively.

The qualified free agent offer is rarely used. It was last used by the New York Giants in 2020. If either player signs with a new team before July 22 or the first day of training camp, whichever is later, the signings would count toward the team’s compensatory pick formula. NFL.

If the players do not sign with other clubs before that deadline, the chiefs Y ravens they would retain exclusive bargaining rights to them at 110 percent of their 2021 salaries, as set forth in the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.

For Ingram, that would mean a salary of $4,400,000 for 2022; for houstonwould be 1,182,500 dollars.

Ingram33 years old, joined the chiefs in a midseason trade last year, with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had one sack in nine games to Kansas Cityand one in six encounters with pittsburgh. He also had two sacks in the three playoff games for the chiefs.

houston33, had 4.5 sacks in 15 games in 2021, his first season with the ravens. He has seen his sack output decline in each of the past two seasons.

A four-time Pro Bowl player, houston he played better than his sack totals indicate, however, and finished with 17 quarterback hits, leading the roster in baltimore. Last season, he became the 39th player in NFL history to reach 100 career sacks. His 102 sacks tie him for the fourth-most in the league since he entered the NFL in 2011.

The chiefs were the 29th team in the NFL in sacks last season. The team retained the services of the starting defensive end frank clark under a restructured contract this year, and drafted defensive end from Purdue, George Karlaftiswith one of his two first-round picks in the most recent draft of the NFL.

Pin pressure remains one of the greatest needs for baltimorebecause the team didn’t sign anyone in free agency after Za’Darius Smith back down after reaching an agreement to return to the ravens. baltimore selected outside linebacker David Ojabo from Michiganbut could miss his entire rookie season with an Achilles tendon injury.

baltimore he totaled just 21 sacks in standard pressure situations (four or fewer defenders) last season, tied for 26th in the league. The two best outside linebackers returning for the ravens Odafe Oweh (shoulder) and Tyus Bowser (Achilles tendon)–had surgeries in the offseason.

Information from Jamison Hensley was used in the writing of this note.

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Chiefs and Ravens use underutilized resource to retain Melvin Ingram III and Justin Houston