3 Saints who must perform in 2022 ahead of contract decisions

2. Mark Ingram

Alvin Kamara missed four games last year due to injury and while he was out, Tony Jones Jr. also went down with an injury. This series of events prompted the Saints to add a running back on the trade market and it was Mark Ingram who they traded for. The then-Texans running back had spent the 2011-2018 seasons in New Orleans.

Ingram was fine during his seven games with the Saints last season but he didn’t make quite the impact the team was hoping for. The 32-year-old is entering his 12th NFL season and this is the final year of his deal with the Saints so he needs to show that he still has what it takes to be an effective running back in the league.

Fortunately for Ingram, he should have a solid chance to prove that this year. Kamara is likely going to be suspended to start the year so if Ingram balls out during that time, it’ll bode well for him down the stretch.

I’m not sure the Saints realistically bring Ingram back even if he has an okay season simply because he’ll be 33 years old next year and they have other options at the position but he’s someone in a contract year who has a lot to prove to this team.