Chargers pick up Ingram's option

The San Diego Chargers have exercised the 2016 fifth-year option on outside linebacker Melvin Ingram, according to a league source.

NFL teams have until May 3 to decide whether or not to exercise the options on players selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft.

For players selected in the first 10 picks, the fifth-year option is worth the value of the transition tag of the fourth-year of that player's contract (2015 for the top 10 picks of the 2012 draft). For players selected with picks 11-32, the fifth-year option is worth the average salary of the third-to-25th highest paid players in the league at that player's position.

Eleven of the 32 players selected in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft had their options picked up last offseason.

The current estimate for Ingram's option, who was the 18th pick in that year's draft, is $7.751 million, per a league source. The contract is guaranteed for injury only until the start of the 2016 league year, at which point it becomes fully guaranteed.

The 25-year old Ingram has been limited to just 29 games in his NFL career due to injury, notching 78 tackles and 6.0 sacks.