It's fair to say that New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram was a bit of a bust during his first three seasons in the NFL. As a first-round pick, you'd expect Ingram to have more than one 100-yard rushing performance during that time. Sadly, that was not the case. Ingram struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness and it seemed as if his time in New Orleans would be marred by failed expectations.
But then the calendar flipped to 2014 and something funny starting happening; Ingram started to play like the former Heisman Trophy winner that he is. He set career highs in carries (226), rushing yards (964) and touchdowns (9) this season.
As fate would have it, Ingram's breakout year also came right before he was set to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Now the Saints have to decide if they are willing to pony up to re-sign him.
"In a recent news conference, New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis singled Mark Ingram out as one of the bright spots in an otherwise lost season," Nick Underhill of the Advocate wrote. "But that vote of confidence has not yet led to the Saints making an effort to retain the free-agent running back, according to a league source, who indicates the team has not had any conversations about a potential return."
Free agency doesn't officially begin until March, so it's not unheard of to let some time pass before getting down to business. But it is still a distinct possibility that Ingram will be in another uniform next season.
"This position, which has been so overcrowded for so many years, could suddenly look very thin if the Saints lose Ingram in free agency," ESPN's Mark Triplett wrote. "And there's a very strong chance of that happening, either because another team outbids New Orleans or because Ingram himself will want a shot at more of a featured role elsewhere. That would be a shame since Ingram finally delivered on his potential in 2014 when he had the opportunity to be used in that type of featured role with the Saints due to injuries to other players. Ingram probably opened the Saints' eyes a bit to the idea of using him that way instead of going with a running back by committee-but that might be a moot point if Ingram also opened up the eyes of other potential suitors with deeper pockets."
The Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots could all be in the market for an upgrade at the running back position. If New Orleans doesn't play their cards right, they could be saying goodbye to Ingram very soon.
