USA TODAY International Edition
Steelers trade veteran LB Ingram to Chiefs for 2022 pick
PITTSBURGH – The Steelers traded veteran outside linebacker Melvin Ingram to the Chiefs for a sixth- round pick in the 2022 draft.
The teams made the announcement Tuesday, hours before the NFL’s trade deadline.
The move gives Kansas City’s struggling defense some much- needed help, though Ingram did sit out Pittsburgh’s win over Cleveland on Sunday with what the team called a groin injury.
Ingram spent the first nine years of his career with the Chargers before signing a one- year deal with Pittsburgh in July. He played a fair amount early in the season while Steelers star T. J. Watt and second- year outside linebacker Alex Highsmith dealt with injuries. Ingram’s snaps declined as October wore on. The 32- year- old had one sack and 10 tackles in six games with Pittsburgh.
The Jets added some depth to the offensive line, acquiring guard Laurent Duvernay- Tardif from Kansas City for tight end Daniel Brown.
Duvernay- Tardif, a licensed medical doctor who opted out of last season to work on the front lines in the battle against COVID- 19, was active for the first time Monday night for the Chiefs’ 20- 17 win over the Giants but didn’t play. The 30- year- old offensive lineman from Quebec was a sixth- round pick of the Chiefs in 2014 out of McGill University in Montreal.
He has played in 60 NFL games, including 57 starts, and was the starting right guard for Kansas City in its 31- 20 victory over San Francisco in the Super Bowl during the 2019 season.
Duvernay- Tardif wrote in a Twitter post: “NYC here we come!”
Brown has spent the past three seasons with the Jets, primarily as a blocking tight end and core special teamer.
Brown has 44 career receptions for 420 yards and two TDs in seven seasons.
The 29- year- old Brown was signed by Baltimore as an undrafted free agent out of James Madison in 2015 and also played with Chicago before joining the Jets in 2019.
The Packers have released Jaylon Smith less than a month after signing the former Cowboys linebacker.
Smith’s agent, Doug Hendrickson, confirmed Tuesday that the 26- year- old Smith has been released.
ESPN first reported the move. Smith joined the Packers on Oct. 7, one day after the Cowboys released him. Smith had led the Cowboys in tackles in 2019 and 2020, but he never came close to making that kind of impact with Green Bay.
He played a total of 27 defensive snaps in two games with the Packers. Smith was on the field for 27.9% of their defensive snaps at Chicago on Oct. 17 and in 13.9% of their defensive snaps against Washington a week later.
The Packers left Smith inactive for their 24- 21 victory over the Cardinals on Thursday even though he hadn’t appeared on the injury report all week.
The Rams have released disgruntled receiver DeSean Jackson after just seven games with his hometown team.
Jackson will be available on the waiver wire Wednesday, general manager Les Snead said Tuesday. The Rams spent the past five days trying to find a trade partner for the 14- year NFL veteran, and he didn’t suit up for Los Angeles’ blowout win at Houston.
Jackson, who turns 35 on Dec. 1, asked to leave the Rams last week after making just eight catches for 221 yards and a touchdown in his first seven games with Los Angeles. The Rams signed him to an incentive- weighted, one- year contract with a guaranteed $ 2.75 million salary last spring.