Vikings Draft Bust Inches Closer to a Major Payday Due to Today’s Trade
Ask around the Twin Cities. Offensive lineman Ed Ingram is widely regarded as a Vikings draft bust. Not so over in Houston.
In fact, the 2nd-Round selection put together a nice season in his debut year in Houston. Ingram could end up earning a strong payday, coming in somewhere in the mid-teens for a per year average on his next deal. The latest news hints at a strong payday in Houston.
Ed Ingram
A Vikings Draft Bust Who Shined in 2025
Consider the update about Tytus Howard getting moved out via trade.
Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network offers the insight: “Sources: The #Texans and #Browns have agreed to terms on a trade to send starting RT Tytus Howard to Cleveland in exchange for a fifth-round pick.” Shortly thereafter, Rapoport clarifies that a new contract has been tacked on, a deal tipping the scales at a trio of seasons and $63 million.
Seemingly separate, the two details from Rapoport — the trade and the new contract — work in tandem. Part of the reason why Cleveland only needed to hand over a 5th for a starting o-lineman is because a beefy contract was waiting on the back end of the deal, money the Texans evidently weren’t keen to hand to Howard.
Consider what Tytus Howard had to say, as Aaron Wilson relays: “They’re trying to get younger and pay some guys. I ain’t mad. I kind of knew it was going to happen.” If Howard is correct that Houston is going to pay younger talent, then Ingram is a name to note.
The 27-year-old guard got drafted at No. 59 in the 2022 NFL Draft. Since then, Ed Ingram has soaked up a lot of playing time, seldom living up to expectations in the Twin Cities. Trading him to Houston a year ago for a 6th felt like highway robbery.
But then reality arrived and the Texans got much more value out of Ingram than the Vikings ever did. On PFF, Ingram brought down a 73.8 grade, meaning he finished off at 12th among the 79 guards who qualify for the rankings. At no point did Ed Ingram come near that level of play while earning his pay in the Twin Cities.
The Vikings pivoted off Ingram last offseason, a decision that was costly.
The new guards ended up being LG1 Donovan Jackson alongside RG1 Will Fries. Acquiring these two meant using a 1st (Jackson) and sending out a huge contract (Fries). Living up to their potential will mean that Minnesota boasts an elite pair of interior o-linemen. Neither did spectacularly, though, last season. The Vikings will want that to change rolling into 2026.
More broadly, Minnesota’s offensive line offers up well-paid talent capable of offering strong football. All of LT1 Christian Darrisaw, C1 Ryan Kelly, and RT1 Brian O’Neill are great players. In particular, the tackle tandem offers much reason for optimism as players who can offer dominant trench play right now and in the future. O’Neill looks like a nice extension candidate while Darrisaw needs to bounce back from injury issues.
Kelly, meanwhile, looks like he’ll be cut. Doing so will save money and appears to be quite likely due to the recent concussion issues.
The 6’3″ and 307-pound Ed Ingram hasn’t yet put pen to paper. Do note, though, that he timed his breakout season perfectly. The final year of his rookie contract happened to result in a sizzling season, meaning Ingram is going to get paid.
The coming days are going to bring clarity on the Vikings draft bust who is marching toward a major raise by the middle of March.
