Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

It's still very early in the 2013 offseason. But so far, all signs are pointing toward a big year for New Orleans Saints tailback Mark Ingram.

Not a "breakout" year, per se, since Ingram will still have to share the workload with standout tailbacks Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas. But Ingram certainly should have his most productive year to date in his third NFL season.

For one thing, the Saints traded away Chris Ivory, turning a four-way tailback logjam into a three-man rotation. For another thing, Saints coach Sean Payton has made it clear that he intends to make an improved run game one of his top priorities this season.

And perhaps most noteworthy, Ingram is fully healthy this offseason for the first time since he left Alabama for the NFL in 2011.

"I've just been working hard this offseason, trying to get in the best shape of my life," said the 5-foot-9, 215-pounder, who spent last summer recovering from toe surgery and a minor knee surgery.

Although Ingram has yet to deliver on his Heisman trophy-winning potential in the NFL, his attitude about sharing the load in New Orleans has always been outstanding. And that remained the case when I caught up with him on Wednesday night, where he was cheering on teammates at the Black and Gold Hoops challenge.

Ingram acknowledged that he had hoped to make a bigger impact in the NFL by this point. But he insisted that he won't put his own goals ahead of the team goals.

"I just want to go out there and do what I can to help the team win a championship," Ingram said. "Of course I want to have a big year individually. But, you know, the main goal is to win games and stay healthy and be out there on the field on Sundays."

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Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

still worried his running style does not work with our OL like Pierre Thomas style does. i hope to see Ingram become more a part of the passing game. that would help him out greatly.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

if he runs with a poker in his ass like last year, we should be good to go. i think we are really going to miss that "umph" that Ivory gave.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

I'm still of the belief if the play calling was better he would have got more yards.Everyone knew if he got in the field it was straight up the gut.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Thats exactly what I was thinking. With coach P back the play calling will be better. Hes going to be a beast this season.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

I'm on the Ingram Train until he proves me wrong. I just think he is going to be good this year. Just a hunch.

I'm just glad to be at 3 backs this year instead of 4. Regardless of who we traded (Ivory or Ingram), it would have benefit the team to lose a guy. I think it'll be easier for them to find a rhythm.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

I still can't believe we let Ivory go.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

He still has not lived up to the hype.
This has to be the year for him or the "didn't live up to expectations talk" will solidify.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Ever since we traded up to get him in the 1st round he hasn't disappointed me.
wait....

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Trip... I hope you're right, because Ingram's increased "production" will benefit everyone who frequents this board.
But I just don't get how people keep saying he is "pointing to a big year," when nothing on tape shows this guy is better than PT, Sproles or even Cadet.
Sorry, but I choose to believe PT and Sproles give us a better shot to win.
If Ingram was a 3rd rounder, I think he would have been shipped to NY and not Ivory.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

We don't use him right. He was a great receiver out the backfield at Alabama. He doesn't fumble. And he's got more speed then one would think. Mix up the playcalling for once. Run a dive with Sproles. Run the screen with Ingram. Give him a toss play. Hell, motion him out into the slot like Sproles. Its just to keep em guessing.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Is that the "umph" he uttered as he suffered yet another injury?

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Really? An often injured one dimensional 4th string RB that helped us acquire a stud DT in this past draft?

We were lucky to get a 4th.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

I'd like to see some direct snap plays and let him choose any seam he wants. It creates a big guessing game unlike last season.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Oh god please yes. A breakout year for Ingram would be awesome.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Or we could just shoot him - it'd be more humane...

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Ingram has to step up his game - this is year 3...

No excuses about the offensive line because PT and Ivory had some success...

Ingram wasn't the best fit/pick for the Saints, but it's time for him to become a first round pick and overcome small adversities as great players do - or he's a BUST...

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

this is were i went ballistic in the draft during round three. i know the need for defense but the defense is not getting us to the promise land it is the offense. Time will tell but the saints have taken steps backward with OL each year since the superbowl and there is only so far backwards you can go till you pay a price. INO Ingram is showing the weakness in our OL

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

We said the same about Reggie, then he went down to Miami and did everything we said he couldn't. Sproles is a grown man just like everybody else. I've seen him go right up the middle plenty of times and be successful. They can't see him.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

The worse RB on the roster right now is Ingram... the worse RB on the roster by end of this season will be Ingram

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Ingram is far more awesome than fair weather, disloyal whiney fans could ever be. Period.

Some of you should move to Atlanta. You're a disgrace as a fan. Take up basketweaving or knitting Alice, because real men aren't as disloyal as some of YOU are.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Well??? We're waiting..........Ted Baxter.(Mary tyler Moore)

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Chances are we got J Jenkins at were we were picking anyway. As far as Ivory if it comes to a ground and pound game or 4th and goal I would trust the 4th stringer you refered to more than any other back we have now even PT who I love!!

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

He could be the "worst" RB on the roster, still be an awesome contributor and have a better year than most RBs in the league. A great offense can do that with running back committees. He's never going to be a Peterson because that's not how we roll. Teams with Petersons rarely, if ever make it to the big one.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Ingram is in no way shape or form a bust!

I have been as hard on the guy as much as anyone, and I will admit it is because of one play: 4th & goal against the Packers on opening night.

Looking back, I blame Payton and Brees for that play not working.

Payton for not telling Brees that if the Packers stack the line, change the play;
Brees for NOT changing the play when it was obvious to Helen Keller & Ray Charles that Green Bay KNEW it was going to be a run!

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Stand by my statement - this is year 3 and the production you'd expect from a running back drafted in the first round, especially one we moved back and spent exchanged first round picks PLUS a second to get...

It's important to separate the reasons for the bust - and, as I've posted before, I don't lay all the blame at the feet of Ingram...

But you can't blame it on the OLine when Ivory did have success and Pierre Thomas has also had success...

And as great players do, it's up to Ingram to adjust his game for his success which will be the team's success...

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

If he's on IR, he can't run the ball.

Ivory can't be trusted to stay healthy.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Oh so this is his breakout year... they say you find out how good ya Draft
Pick will be n his 3rd year .... lets hope he does something ... I've haven't been impressed yet...

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

So, first year he gets hurt...that sucks, but he hasn't spent nearly as much time on IR as IRvory....as for last...the team didn't have a coach, we had the absolute worst play calling (every time he hit the turf everyone knew it was a run), a historically disgusting defence that always put us behind (which in turn lead to us throwing every down), no RB coach for 6 games and he still lead the team in rushing. I FIND YOUR LACK OF FAITH DISTURBING

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

I remember his first season before he got hurt. He was making some great plays down the stretch. Jumping over people, pushing linemen in the back to scrap a couple more yards. I hope he gets back to that and I think he will. Payton is going to give him a lot more opportunities.

Re: Healthy Mark Ingram is poised to have best season yet with New Orleans Saints
 

Ingram has been a disappointment and I think expectations were too high for him to start with. Bama's O line made him look better than he was when he was in college. That being said, I don't think he is a "bust" (it isn't like he was drafted in the top ten or even top twenty overall) and I think he can do better than he has his first two years and I expect him to be a solid contributor this year.