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Mark Ingram

Ravens’ Mark Ingram, J.K. Dobbins Test Positive For COVID-19

November 23rd, 2020 at 2:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Ravens running backs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins have tested positive for COVID-19 (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). They’ll both land on the reserve list today, leaving Gus Edwards as their primary back for Thursday night against the Steelers. 

Ingram has already missed significant time due to injury. Now, he’s out for at least an additional week until he clears the league’s coronavirus protocols. For Dobbins, the timing is especially unfortunate — he’s coming off of a strong showing against the Titans where he rushed for 70 yards off of just 15 carries, good for an average of 4.67 yards per tote.. All in all, the second-round pick out of Ohio State has averaged 5.3 yards per attempt as Ingram’s fill-in.

Edwards has also impressed in a shorter sample size, tallying 376 yards off of 85 carries (4.4 ypc) and three touchdowns. The 25-year-old Rutgers product has averaged 5.1 yards for the Ravens since turning pro — not too shabby for a backup RB.

The Ravens, sans two of their offensive stars, will look to stop a two-game slide on Thursday when they head to Pittsburgh.

Injury Updates: T. Brown, Garoppolo, Clowney

November 8th, 2020 at 11:20am CST by Rory Parks

Let’s round up a few injury-related items from around the league.

  • Raiders OT Trent Brown is back on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Brown is expected to miss at least a month of action (Twitter link).
  • Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports confirms a report from several days ago that 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo will not require surgery on his injured ankle, but the 29-year-old signal-caller is expected to miss at least a month (Twitter link). The injury further clouds Garoppolo’s uncertain future in San Francisco.
  • Titans edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney is out for today’s game against the Bears. He is dealing with a meniscus issue and may ultimately opt for surgery.
  • The Browns have a bye this week, and next time they’re on the field, they hope to be rejoined by Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb (Twitter link via Rapoport). Chubb has been dealing with an MCL injury, and though Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson have played reasonably well in his absence, getting Chubb back will be a big boost to Cleveland’s playoff push.
  • Some may be wondering if WR Odell Beckham has already played his last game for the Browns, as he will miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear and has never really embraced Cleveland. Kim Jones of WFAN reports that OBJ will undergo surgery to repair the ACL on Tuesday (Twitter link).
  • Ravens RB Mark Ingram left Baltimore’s game against the Eagles several weeks ago, and he still has not returned to action. Rapoport says Ingram is dealing with a high-ankle sprain (Twitter link), which explains the multi-week absence. Ingram has been ruled out for today’s game against the Colts, but younger backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins may be the better options anyway.
  • When the Eagles return to their facility following this week’s bye, they expect to have RB Miles Sanders back, and they believe WR Alshon Jeffery will be a full participant in practice (Twitter link via Rapoport).

AFC Notes: Ravens, Patriots, Rivers

May 12th, 2020 at 9:53am CST by Ben Levine

After the Ravens added Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Mark Ingram believes his team officially has the best running game in the league.

“I like his mindset, I like his attitude, I like the way he run the ball. Just bring him and his talents to our room that’s already special; our backfield is gonna be the best in the league for sure,” Ingram told NFL Network’s Colleen Wolfe (via NFL.com’s Grant Gordon). “We’re all looking forward to it, being playmakers for the team and help us win the championship.”

Last season, Ingram and quarterback Lamar Jackson became just the second RB-QB duo to top 1,000 rushing yards in the same season (Warrick Dunn and Michael Vick did it with the Falcons in 2006). Gus Edwards also had a productive season in Baltimore, running for 711 yards and two scores. Even Justice Hill found the end zone twice as a rookie.

While the backfield may be a bit crowded, it doesn’t sound like Ingram is too concerned about carries. Rather, the veteran is focused on winning a championship, and he passed that mindset on to his rookie teammate.

“He reached out to me,” Ingram said. “Right after he got drafted, just shot me his number, said he was looking forward to getting to work. I told him let’s go get a ring.”

Let’s check out some more notes from around the AFC…

  • Sticking with Baltimore, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta told season ticket holders that the team doesn’t have a whole lot of salary cap flexibility (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec on Twitter). DeCosta noted that if the front office did open up space, they’d likely pursue a pass rusher/linebacker or a veteran offensive lineman.
  • Reports yesterday indicated that Tom Brady‘s “deteriorating relationship” with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was a big reason why the quarterback left New England. However, Brady vehemently denied those rumors via Instagram, asking reporters to “[p]lease be more responsible with reporting” (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). McDaniels and Brady had been paired together for more than a decade, winning six Super Bowls along the way.
  • In 2019, Philip Rivers was playing behind a Chargers offensive line that ranked 29th in effectiveness, per Pro Football Focus. In Indy, he’ll be playing behind an offensive line that was ranked third by the same metric, and that’s a big reason why the veteran decided to join the Colts. “The big part of Philip being here is Anthony Castonzo. Quenton Nelson,” said offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “Ryan Kelly. Braden Smith. Mark Glowinski. Those guys are studs…That’s something that he just kept mentioning after we signed him of how valuable those guys were to him.”

Ravens’ Mark Ingram II On His Future

April 15th, 2020 at 8:45am CST by Zachary Links

Father Time isn’t always kind to running backs, but Mark Ingram isn’t planning on slowing down anytime soon. In a chat with reporters this week, the 30-year-old said that he plans on playing “at the highest level for another four or five years.” 

“That’s how I feel, man,” Ingram said (via the team website). “I’m with a great team that takes care of me, and I feel like I can play this game at a high level – at the highest level – for at least another four or five years…My body feels good. I’m moving good. I have nothing really lagging. If I do, I’ll be working on it, rehabbing it, strengthening it up so all my weaknesses are turning into my strengths. I just want to be the best, man. I want to be one of the best. When you talk about running backs who had long, prestigious careers, I want to be in that discussion.”

Ingram – who is only “old” by NFL RB standards – delivered his third 1,000-yard season in 2019, paving the way for his third career Pro Bowl selection (he also came 36 yards shy of the four-digit mark in 2014). After averaging 4.5 yards per carry across eight seasons with the Saints, he took things to a new level in Lamar Jackson‘s offense, setting a new career high with 5.0 ypc. So far, his three-year, $15.5MM deal looks like a clear win for the Ravens.

Beyond the yards and touchdowns, Ingram also maintained his usual high standards when it comes to pass blocking. For a second straight year, he was one of Pro Football Focus’ top-ranked qualified tailbacks in the category. All things considered, we’d be surprised if the Ravens invested an early pick in the position, though they may use a middle or late-round choice to back Ingram, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill.

Mark Ingram Expected To Play In Divisional Round

January 9th, 2020 at 2:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

After missing the first two Ravens practices this week, Mark Ingram worked out in a limited capacity Thursday. The Ravens expect their starting running back to play against the Titans on Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

A calf strain sidelined Ingram in Week 16. He joined select Baltimore starters in sitting for Week 17 but was practicing during the team’s bye week. However, a setback during those workouts shelved the ninth-year veteran for much of this week’s practices.

Ingram returning certainly represents good news for the AFC’s top seed. The Ravens running back gained 1,018 yards in his age-30 season, joining Lamar Jackson in spearheading the team’s record-setting ground attack. Jackson, Ingram and Gus Edwards each surpassed 700 yards this season. It is not clear if Ingram will receive a full workload against the Titans, making Edwards a potentially bigger factor in the game plan.

The longtime Saints back signed a three-year, $15.5MM contract in March and rewarded the Ravens on their investment in Year 1 of the deal. Ingram played in 15 games, surpassed 100 rushing yards four times and scored a career-high 15 touchdowns. This 1,000-yard season (5.0 per carry) was Ingram’s third over the past four seasons.

Injury Notes: Ingram, 49ers, Thielen, Fuller

January 8th, 2020 at 8:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

With every team booked into divisional-round action having now begun practice, here is the latest from the injury front going into Round 2. We’ll start with a midweek Vikings setback:

  • Stefon Diggs has missed two Vikings practices because of illness this week, but Mike Zimmer expects him to suit up in San Francisco. However, Adam Thielen suffered an ankle injury at practice and was limited on Wednesday as a result. Thielen was not on Minnesota’s Tuesday injury report. The Pro Bowl wideout missed much of this season with a hamstring injury. He caught seven passes for a game-high 129 yards against the Saints.
  • The NFL’s other purple-wearing team will likely go into its second-round game with backfield uncertainty. Previously expected to return for the Ravens‘ playoff opener, Mark Ingram has missed both Ravens practices this week. Ingram experienced a setback with his injured calf last week, leading to the Ravens to shut him down for a bit, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). The Ravens are indicating there is a “realistic chance” Ingram plays. Baltimore backup Gus Edwards‘ 5.2 yards per carry ranked third in the NFL this season.
  • 49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander has been cleared for game action, per Rapoport (video link), meaning it’s now Kyle Shanahan‘s call on whether to redeploy the high-priced defender Saturday. The 49ers used their second IR-return spot on Alexander, who is attempting to return from a midseason pectoral tear, but have not activated him yet.
  • Winding down an oft-injured season, Dee Ford is back at 49ers practice and appears ready to return at a key juncture. The veteran defensive end has dealt with a few maladies, his most recent being a hamstring issue that he aggravated in December. Ford’s gone through limited practices the past two days.
  • One of the NFL’s most important No. 2 wideouts, Will Fuller is trending in the right direction for the Texans‘ divisional-round rematch in Kansas City. The Texans expect their deep threat to return against the Chiefs, Rapoport tweets. Fuller was limited Wednesday. Deshaun Watson‘s QBR figure is 16 points higher when Fuller is on the field compared to when he’s not. The injury-prone wideout missed six games this season, the latest because of the groin injury he sustained in December.
  • Among the healthiest of the divisional-round teams, the Packers will have their right tackle back in the mix. Bryan Bulaga suffered a concussion in Week 17 but passed the protocol Wednesday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com notes. Kenny Clark, however, missed practice with a back injury. The contract-year defensive lineman played all 16 Packer games this season.

Mark Ingram Expected Back For Playoffs

December 23rd, 2019 at 4:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mark Ingram went down in Cleveland in Week 16, and his calf strain may force Baltimore to turn to other running backs. But by the time the Ravens play their next game of consequence, Ingram is expected to be back in uniform.

The Pro Bowl running back should be back in time for the Ravens’ divisional-round game, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link). Ingram will have either 20 or 21 days to recover, depending on Baltimore receiving the Saturday or Sunday Round 2 date. After good news stemming from a Monday MRI, that is expected to be enough rehab time.

Baltimore’s Ingram signing has worked out incredibly well. The 30-year-old back earned his third Pro Bowl nod and surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the third time, getting to 1,018 with his 55-yard showing Sunday. Ingram will also end a season with more than five yards per carry for the second time, finishing with 5.0 per tote in the Ravens’ historically successful ground attack.

The point man of said ground force, Lamar Jackson will also be shelved for Week 17. For the first time in the franchise’s 24-year history, the Ravens have clinched home-field advantage. The runaway MVP frontrunner will have two weeks of rest before taking the field in his first divisional-round game. While the words “calf strain” have taken on a new meaning after the Kevin Durant debacle, Jackson may well have Ingram out there when the Ravens resume relevant football.

Injury Updates: Ingram, Haskins, Murray

December 22nd, 2019 at 9:39pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Here are the key injuries which we’ve seen some reporting on:

  • The Ravens officially clinched the top seed in the AFC with their win over the Browns on Sunday, but Baltimore fans were left holding their breath when running back Mark Ingram went down with a calf injury. Head coach John Harbaugh told reporters after the game there’s no structural damage, but a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that Ingram suffered a calf strain (Twitter link). Ingram was wearing a walking boot after a game, via a tweet from Josina Anderson of ESPN. Harbaugh was trying to sound optimistic, but calf strains can linger. Fortunately for Baltimore, he’ll have Week 17 and a first-round bye to rest.
  • Dwayne Haskins has been getting a lot better recently, so it was unfortunate to see him go down with an ankle injury during the Redskins’ loss to the Giants. Interestingly, Haskins said after the game that he lobbied to return, but owner Dan Snyder personally told him not to go back in, per John Keim of ESPN.com. Normally it’d be unusual for an owner to be consulting directly with a player during a game, but this is the Redskins we’re talking about. Washington is in line for the second overall pick right now, and they could opt to be conservative and sit Haskins in Week 17.
  • Speaking of rookie quarterbacks, Kyler Murray was also knocked out on Sunday with a hamstring injury. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters after the game he wasn’t sure if Murray would be able to play in Week 17 against the Rams. Murray had a large wrap on his hamstring and if it was bad enough to knock him out immediately he could be up against it to play next week. Brett Hundley, who finished off Arizona’s upset win over the Seahawks, would start next week if he isn’t ready.
  • One last quarterback update, as Mason Rudolph was sidelined with a shoulder injury shortly after being reinserted for a benched Devlin Hodges. The Steelers’ quarterback situation is an absolute mess right now as they prepare for a must-win game against the Ravens. Hodges came back in for Rudolph, and resumed struggling. Rudolph provided an instant spark after relieving Hodges, so he’ll almost certainly start against Baltimore if he’s healthy. Rudolph was seen leaving the stadium with his arm in a sling, per Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link).
  • The Titans can clinch a playoff berth with a Week 17 win over the Texans, and fortunately they’ll be getting a boost to their offense. Running back Derrick Henry was inactive for their loss to the Saints on Sunday, but he is expected to play against Houston, a source told Schefter (Twitter link). Henry has been dealing with a hamstring issue.
  • The winner of the Week 17 game between the 49ers and Seahawks will determine who wins the NFC West and in turn hosts a playoff game, and both sides are banged up. San Francisco pass-rusher Dee Ford has missed most of the last month with a hamstring injury and he’s not expected to play against Seattle, a source told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports. They gave up a second-round pick to land Ford this offseason, then signed him to a massive extension, and he’s been a bit of a disappointment. Fortunately for the 49ers, the Seahawks are dealing with even more significant health issues.

Contract Details: Ingram, Suggs, Kendricks

March 19th, 2019 at 10:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest details from some agreed-upon contracts during the second wave of free agency. All links courtesy of the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, unless otherwise noted.

Ravens To Sign Mark Ingram

March 13th, 2019 at 11:32am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens will sign running back Mark Ingram, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. When finalized, it’ll be a three-year, $15MM pact.

Ingram was displaced this week when the Saints agreed to sign Latavius Murray. Murray will now serve as the backup to Alvin Kamara while Ingram will move on to Baltimore, where he’ll part of a rotation likely to include Gus Edwards and Kenneth Dixon. Ingram’s move to the Ravens will likely decrease the chances that fellow running back Javorius Allen — a free agent — returns to Baltimore.

Ingram, 29, served a four-game suspension to begin the 2018 campaign, but was highly effective once he returned to the field. On 138 carries, Ingram rushed for 638 yards and scored six touchdowns, while he also chipped in 21 catches, 170 yards, and a score in the passing game.

Ingram’s efficiency was off the charts, as he ranked third in Football Outsiders‘ success rate, meaning he was excellent at keeping the Saints’ offense on schedule with regard to down and distance. Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus assigned Ingram a 75.7 grade in pass-blocking, placing him among the best at his position.

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