Mark Ingram suspended. NFL suspended Saints running back Mark IngramThe for four games on Wednesday for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Ingram appealed the decision but the league has already denied the appeal. Ingram was a part of the Saints’ incredibly successful rushing attack this season, which featured rookie Alvin Kamara. Ingram set career highs in carries (230), yards (1,124), rushing touchdowns (12), and receptions (58) last season. It was also reported by NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport that the Saints may have been shopping Ingram throughout this offseason.
Brandon Marshall visits Seahawks. The Seahawks lost pass-catching threats this offseason in form of the free-agent departures of Jimmy Graham and Paul Richardson. The team brought in free-agent wide receiver Brandon Marshall in for a visit on Thursday to possibly help fill the void. Marshall was cut by the Giants in April and his visit with the Seahawks is believed to be his first with another team. The six-time Pro Bowler played in just five games for the Giants last season after having October ankle surgery. He was last selected to the Pro Bowl in 2015 with the Jets when he had 1,502 yards receiving to go with a career-high 14 touchdown catches.
Colts sign Austin Howard. The Colts made another move to bolster their offensive line and protect quarterback Andrew Luck by signing free-agent tackle Austin Howard to a one-year $3.75MM deal, with $500K in incentives. Howard graded out as the No. 36 tackle in the league while with the Ravens last season, per Pro Football Focus, but was cut just one season into his three-year $16.5MM contract signed with the Ravens in the 2017 offseason. Howard has spent eight seasons in the NFL and has appeared in 98 games, starting 88 of them. The team drafted guard Quenton Nelson with the No. 6 overall pick of last month’s draft and took guard Braden Smith in the second round. All three are expected to start, with Howard slotting in at right tackle.
NFC East defensive linemen to undergo surgeries. Cowboys defensive tackle Maliek Collins and Eagles former first-round pick Derek Barnett are both expected to undergo surgeries. Collins’ certainly appears to be the more worrisome of the two, as he broke his foot during the team’s offseason program this week. It was reported by the Dallas Morning News that Collins is slated to undergo surgery in the upcoming week and is expected to be sidelined for around three months, and could rejoin the team in the middle of training camp. Barnett already underwent his surgery to repair a hernia, which has a timetable to return of six weeks, though Barnett had the surgery shortly after the team’s Super Bowl victory.
Reuben Foster pleads not guilty. 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster pleaded not guilty to three felony domestic violence charges and is scheduled to begin trial on May 17. The charges are stemming from a February incident, though the defendant in the case has recanted her statement. If convicted, Foster could serve up to 11 years in prison and the 49ers have already said they would cut him if found guilty. Foster had a stellar rookie season on the field, as the Alabama product recorded 72 total tackles and started 10 games.
Jaron Brown signed with the Seahawks this offseason