A Former Vikings Disappointment Has Turned Everything Around for a New Team
The Minnesota Vikings have gone through some significant injuries on their offensive line to begin the season.
Christian Darrisaw missed the first two games of the season, Donovan Jackson will miss his second game this weekend, Ryan Kelly looks like he could be out for some time after suffering his second concussion of the season, and Brian O’Neill suffered a sprained MCL that could sideline him for multiple weeks.
Will Fries is the only starter on Minnesota’s offensive line that hasn’t missed a game yet this season, and even he is coming off a fractured tibia that held him out for most of the 2024 season.
As a result, the Vikings have needed to rely on their depth to fill in the cracks. It comes after the Vikings traded their 2022 second-round pick, Ed Ingram, this summer to the Houston Texans after he turned in a disappointing first three seasons in Minnesota. Now, though, the fourth-year veteran is having a career season with his new team.
A Former Vikings Disappointment Has Completely Flipped the Script
Ingram was sent to Houston in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick after being one of the worst all-around guards in the entire NFL during his tenure with the Vikings.
Here is a look at Ingram’s grades per PFF during his three years in Minnesota:
- 2022: 57.0
- 2023: 59.5
- 2024: 54.0
Specifically in terms of run blocking, Ingram was never given a grade higher than 64.2, and that grade came in his rookie season before getting progressively worse in each of the following two years.
However, that script has completely flipped now that Ingram is in Houston. The right guard has started each of the past three games for the Texans, and to this point in the year, he has an overall PFF grade of 85.6. His run blocking grade has taken an equally miraculous leap up to 90.6.
For context, that overall grade of 85.6 is nearly ten points higher than the next highest guard to have played at least 150 snaps this season. That player is Trey Smith who has a grade of 75.8
Ingram’s run blocking grade of 90.6 is also the highest among all guards who have played at least 150 snaps. It ranks just over nine points higher than Quenton Nelson’s 81.3
Of course, Ingram still isn’t without his flaws just because of these numbers. Ingram’s pass protection has still been a problem in Houston as he has allowed seven QB pressures in three games so far this season. He gave up this ugly sack to Jeffrey Simmons this past weekend too.
Because of those struggles in pass protection, Ingram is grading out at just 54.2, which is tied for 34th among the 54 guards to play at least 150 snaps.
While Ingram’s performances were absolutely horrific at times during his tenure in Minnesota, the right guard has managed to salvage his career by playing in Houston.
He is in the final year of his rookie contract and will enter free agency next spring when he will hope to garner a quality contract based on his resurgence.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Focus.
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