What Happened to Ed Ingram?
This offseason, the Minnesota Vikings moved Blake Brandel from left tackle to guard. They took a while to sign Dalton Risner and bring him back. Ed Ingram was expected to keep his starting role on the right side, but he has continued to be an issue.
What Happened to Ed Ingram?
When the Minnesota Vikings drafted Ed Ingram out of LSU, they believed they had found a developmental prospect for the offensive line. He eventually worked his way into the starting lineup, and his presence allowed Minnesota to move on from Ezra Cleveland. The problem is that Ingram’s development appears to have stalled out or, at the very least, taken a hit.
Through a pair of preseason games this season it has been evident that Ingram leaves plenty to be desired. Despite Kevin O’Connell sitting out all his starters on Saturday, Ingram was in the lineup. He is still pushing to retain his job, but the results weren’t pretty once again.
Minnesota isn’t flush with options to replace Ingram at the moment. While Brandel could be penciled in for the left guard role, Risner has remained on the sidelines. Still working his way back from an injury, the veteran hasn’t been able to push Ingram for playing time, and that’s a problem.
Putting Risner on the left side to start the year would create continuity from last season’s offensive line. However, that may also expose Sam Darnold to unfortunate circumstances should Ingram be given a pass. Minnesota needs Risner to get healthy and the veteran to push the youngster out of the way.
If Brandel can handle the other guard spot, it may be time to consider moving Ingram to a backup role. These types of performances can’t keep happening, and with a less-than-certain veteran under center, Darnold will need to be put in every positive situation he can handle.
Of course, if the Vikings don’t want to roster a player who hasn’t been on the field, then Ingram will have to figure it out on the fly.
It’s unfortunate that we’re still dealing with this reality for Ingram, but at least for now, that’s where things are.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
You must be logged in to post a comment.