New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

Mark Ingram‘s been a key name in this week’s NFL news cycle. From being potentially on the trade block, to being suspended for four games and seeing his appeal denied, the eighth-year Saints running back has enjoyed an eventful few days.

Now, Sean Payton is confirming the 28-year-old back will not be training with the Saints during the voluntary portion of their offseason. Ingram will skip OTAs and train on his own in Florida, a decision his head coach is questioning.

“He and I spoke, so it wasn’t a surprise to us that he’s not here,” Payton said, via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. “I don’t agree with it. But it is optional, and that’s his choice.”

Triplett adds this does not appear to be related to Ingram’s suspension, which would not prohibit him working out with the Saints until the regular season begins.

Ingram is entering a contract year but will miss the first four games of it. The presence of Alvin Kamara, Ingram’s age and this suspension will make the prospect of an extension more difficult to envision this offseason. Ingram signed a four-year, $16MM deal in 2015.

Coming off the best two seasons of his career, each featuring 1,000-plus rushing yards, Ingram changed agents last month. And for the better part of the next month, he won’t be working out with Kamara and the other Saints running backs.

[UPDATE: Ingram’s appeal has already been heard and denied. However, it sounds like his camp may explore further options to fight the ban.]

Saints running back Mark Ingram will fight his four-game suspension, according to a press release from his agents. Ingram, it seems, will argue against the validity of the test results.

“At the end of the 2017 season, as a result of a NFL mandated random drug test, Mark Ingram tested positive for a substance that was not a performance enhancing substance, nor an illegal substance, but a substance in fact permissible with the proper use exemption with the NFL,” the statement reads. “He has vigorously challenged the test results through the arbitration process. The arbitrator’s opinion is due on or before Wednesday, May 16. Upon having the opportunity to review the arbitrator’s opinion, we will explore what further options are needed.”

Ingram’s reps also note that the substance in question is permitted to be used by players with a thereputic use exemption, but it doesn’t seem that Ingram had a TUE for whatever it was. The real crux of their case will come down to their challenge of the test results. In the past, players have questioned the handling of samples as well as the methods for testing.

For now, Ingram is scheduled to miss games against the Buccaneers and Browns and road contests against the Falcons and Giants. If the ruling stands, he will not play until Week 5 against the Redskins.

The Saints “may” have been shopping running back Mark Ingram this offseason, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. The Saints may have to wait a bit to trade Ingram following his four-game suspension for PEDs, but it sounds like they could explore a deal once he is cleared to play. 

Rapoport hears that Ingram has been staying away from team in order to push for new deal. He is still after a new contract as he heads into his walk year, despite the ban, which he and his new representatives have been aware of for weeks.

Ingram was largely overshadowed by rising star Alvin Kamara last year, but he still turned in a solid season with new career highs in all major categories. Ingram also ranked seventh in Football Outsiders‘ DVOA, meaning he was effective on a per-play basis, and also finished as a top-15 pass-blocker among running backs, per Pro Football Focus.

Considering that Ingram is a 29-year-old running back who is entering a contract year and won’t be available to play for the first month of the season, there probably won’t be much of a market for his services. However, their reluctance to give him a new deal and willingness to trade him probably means that there won’t be a long-term future for him in New Orleans.