Ingram: I’m Going To Be Me

Seems Tyreek Hill shouldn’t be the one veteran the Miami Dolphins introduced in from the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs this offseason with a giant character.

And like Hill, Melvin Ingram has the NFL resume to again it up.

The three-time Professional Bowl choice addressed the South Florida on Thursday after the second observe of coaching camp and made clear what he is all about and what he hopes to convey to the Dolphins protection.

Maybe most significantly, Ingram is not all that involved about his position with the Dolphins, whether or not he is a starter or a part of a rotation, as a result of there’s one thing extra necessary to him.

Being himself.

“I’m going to nonetheless be me,” Ingram mentioned. “As soon as I’m not doing that (anymore), it’s time for me to go dwelling.

“It’s simply me, man. I’m completely different. I’m a particular individual. So I slot in irrespective of the place I’m going. I’m going to come back in and do no matter they ask me to do, how they need me to do it, when they need me to do it. So I’m going to slot in irrespective of the place I’m going.”

INGRAM SHOULD HELP DOLPHINS DEFENSE

Precisely what position Ingram finally ends up taking part in for the Dolphins stays to be seen, although it might make sense to make use of him as a part of an edge defender rotation with Jaelan Phillips and Andrew Van Ginkel, and whoever else finally ends up incomes reps on protection.

As head coach Mike McDaniel identified earlier than observe Thursday, it is necessary for any protection to have depth and Ingram on the very least will convey that to the Dolphins.

That is the ground. The ceiling is a return to a double-digit sack season, which Ingram did in 2015 and 2017, or one other Professional Bowl efficiency, as Ingram had from 2017-19.

The standing simply weren’t there for Ingram the previous two seasons, with solely two sacks in 22 video games, however McDaniel says that wasn’t reflective of his effectiveness.

“I don’t even know what number of sacks he completely had, as a result of I don’t take a look at it that approach,” McDaniel mentioned. “My job is to check the participant, and what I noticed was he had a whole lot of impression. Particularly, he was a greater run defender than I remembered him from the start of his profession; he’s actually grown in that. As a go rusher, he had a whole lot of exercise in and across the quarterback that, in our opinion, if there was a little bit extra manufacturing on these explicit performs the place he had some actually good go rush strikes, his sack whole may be twice or 3 times no matter it’s. So he was already producing a little bit greater than folks realized when it comes to quarterback pressures, and within the system across the guys that we’re taking part in with, we’re inspired so as to add him to the competitors.”

INGRAM A LEADER BY EXAMPLE

Whereas the Dolphins made wholesale adjustments on offense within the offseason, Ingram was one of many few veteran acquisitions on protection.

That does not imply Ingram feels the necessity to aggressively tackle a management position.

“I’m going to exit and work, and that’s the way you lead,” he mentioned. “You lead by instance. Irrespective of if I’m round younger, outdated or no matter, I’m going to exit and do me. I’m going to be myself, and if folks observe, they observe.”

“Be myself.” “Be me.”

That was a typical theme throughout Ingram’s media session.

When he was requested about his goal weight for 2022: “I don’t know. It’s most likely … I don’t know, to be trustworthy. I really feel nice. No matter I are available at, I’m going to be me.”

When he was requested if he feels totally entrenched as a member of the workforce after being signed in mid-Could: “A thousand p.c. Man, I’m me – I’m (going to) slot in wherever.”

When he was requested about being OK with a situational position if that is the way it performs out: “I’m (going to) nonetheless be me. Let me reduce you off – I’m (going to) nonetheless be me.”

When he was requested about his preliminary dialog with defensive coordinator Josh Boyer and Boyer might need instructed him: “Coming in and being myself. ‘Simply come be you and every thing else will handle itself.’”

When McDaniel’s feedback about his efficiency not being mirrored by his stats the previous two years: “After all, I’m nonetheless me. I don’t like to speak no one’s head off. Time will present that I’m nonetheless me.”

That is just about what the Dolphins have been considering after they signed him.