Saints running back Mark Ingram is entering a contract year, and he’ll now have a new agent to work out his next deal. Ingram has hired VIP Sports Management to replace Joel Segal of Lagardere Sports and Entertainment, according to Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com.
Ingram will earn a base salary of $4MM in 2018, but he could have potentially become a free agent this offseason. The 28-year-old Ingram’s contract contains a clause that would have voided the final year of the deal had he been named as a first-team All-Pro. That didn’t happen, as Todd Gurley and Le’Veon Bell were the NFL’s All-Pros at running back and “flex,” respectively.
Although he didn’t earn All-Pro honors, Ingram still posted arguably the best campaign of his seven-year career. Pairing with dynamic rookie Alvin Kamara, Ingram managed career-highs in carries (230), yards (1,124), rushing touchdowns (12), and receptions (58). Ingram 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.
Ingram was excellent last season, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to cash in next spring. Not only will he be entering his age-29 campaign, but the running back market hasn’t seen a significant price jump since Ingram signed his last contract. New Orleans’ interest in re-signing Ingram is also unclear, especially since the club may believe Kamara can be an every-down back.