Former Minnesota Viking takes a direct shot at his position coach that raises major questions about what could have been
Ed Ingram wasn’t the most beloved player during his three years in Minnesota, but he wasn’t valued nearly as much as he should have been.
When the Minnesota Vikings selected Ed Ingram at 59th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, it was seen as somewhat of a reach. That aspect was a big factor in how fans felt about him during his tenure.
He started 45 of his first 47 eligible games before the Vikings replaced him with Dalton Risner for the second half of the 2024 season. He was widely viewed by fans as a bust due to his up-and-down play. When he was traded to the Houston Texans for a sixth-round pick, he immediately found success and signed a three-year, $37.5 million extension with the team.
Ed Ingram takes a shot at former OL coach Chris Kuper
When Ingram was drafted, it was evident that he needed time and patience with his development. His playstyle was very aggressive, and it would result in ugly-looking losses, more so than other players on the offensive line. That was also the reason why many soured on Ingram.
Once he got to Houston, Ingram made it well known that he’s happy to be there, including complimenting his coach, Cole Popovich.
“What better place for them to be than Houston?” Ingram said in an interview with KPRC Houston. “I came here, I excelled. Shout out to Cole Popovich. He never let me get complacent, and he always challenged me. Personally, I’ve always thought I’m a great player. All I need is the right person to help me. Coming here was probably the best thing to ever happen to me in my career, coming here and having a coach.
“Pretty much take me under his wing and kind of hone in my skills, because the skills were there. It just needed to be honed in and just controlled a little bit. It has helped me out tremendously.”
That reads like a direct shot at former offensive line coach Chris Kuper, who was not extended after the 2025 season. New offensive line coach Keith Carter has gotten early praise for his time with the Vikings as the top offensive line coach. The practices were more intense early on, and you could feel a tonal shift.
Ingram could have benefited from that during his time in Minnesota, as he never got work with Carter. His aggressive attack-first style would have worked well in the offense the Vikings are trying to build. Now that he’s in Houston with a coach who knows how to maximize him, it’s fair to question if the Vikings did wrong by Ingram.
As it sits, the Texans got a good one, and the Vikings wonder what could have been.
