5 reasons that the Steelers signing Ingram was a wrong move

Steelers had better bargains

With Ingrams’ contract coming in at 4 million dollars for 2021, the Steelers could have found a better bargain in free agency to suit their needs. If the team was set on landing a big name that could be a starter like Ingram, then simply put they should have gone after Justin Houston. He may have cost more upfront, but he is the superior player to Ingram at this point. It seems unlikely that a potential deal with him would have been astronomically higher than Ingram.

The far easier answer here would have been going after a player that was far cheaper and could do more of a variety of things. To me, the perfect prospect on the free agency market for the team was John Simon. No, he isn’t nearly as good as Ingram is, but he would have been had for the minimum. He wouldn’t require the number of snaps that Ingram likely will, meaning that a young guy like Highsmith can develop this season. As well, Simon can still be effective on defense when called upon as well as still play on special teams.

If the team was gung-ho on getting a more experienced pass rusher, they could have opted for an Everson Griffen or a Bruce Irvin then. Neither would have cost much more than the minimum, and each once again would have been more comfortable in more of a traditional role. Neither would give you much of anything on special teams, but that is no different than Ingram offers you at this point. Frankly put, if the Steelers wanted a better potential starter, they should have gone after Houston. If they wanted a more conventional number three, then a cheaper option would have been the better move.