Former Alabama All-American Mark Ingram released NFL waivers on Wednesday and became a free agent, no longer a member of the Baltimore Ravens after two seasons being captivating for the team’s fans and his teammates.
But while the Ravens released the running back with one season left of their contract, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said this would not be the end of the NFL line for Ingram.
“He will still play, I guarantee you,” said Harbaugh during his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday. “Mark and I had this conversation. He still has a lot of football. He will contribute next year and beyond in the National Football League. “
Ingram had already said that, writing that he is “looking forward to my next opportunity because the best is yet to come” on his Instagram account Monday night.
A Pro Bowler in his first season at Baltimore in 2019, Ingram’s campaign in 2020 was hampered by an ankle injury and a reserve / COVID-19 constraint that led him to lose three games. With rookie JK Dobbins emerging to fill Ingram’s role as a 1-2 running-back goal with Gus Edwards, the 10-year-old NFL veteran played just 18 snaps in the Ravens’ final six games.
Signed in 2019 as a free agent after playing eight seasons for the New Orleans Saints, Ingram had a base salary of $ 5 million for the 2021 season. With his release, the Ravens owe him nothing – except thanks.
Harbaugh agreed that Ingram would be a Raven for the rest of his life with Baltimore fans after helping the team to achieve a combined record of 25-7 in the regular season in the last two campaigns, with success on the field reinforced by enthusiastic press conferences and some of the best microphone moments in NFL history.
“Mark has been a big part of us,” said Harbaugh. “He is a very good player, a very physical defense. I remember when we played with him the last time we played at the Saints, and you see a guy on the tape, and then he ran up to our sideline and hit some guys on the sideline and showed up. And I looked at him and I thought, ‘This guy is physical, man. This guy is a tank. ‘And he also had beautiful feet. I was really impressed with him. So we brought him here, and I have to see it up close.
“But then the other things you’re talking about – the enthusiasm, the energy, the camaraderie, the locker room stuff. All of these things are really fun and he brought a lot of life every day, so fans are right to feel that way about him, and we feel the same way about him. ”
After running 1,018 yards and 10 touchdowns on 202 loads and picking up 26 passes for 247 yards and five TDs in 2019, Ingram had 299 yards and two touchdowns on 72 loads and six receptions for 50 yards in 2020.
Three times as a Bowler, Ingram has 7,324 yards and 62 touchdowns in 1,595 run attempts and 260 receptions for 1,895 yards and 10 touchdowns in 132 regular season games. He also played in seven postseason games with 299 yards and a TD in 71 running attempts and 10 receptions for 57 yards.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @ AMarkG1.
MORE NFL:
· Marlon Humphrey finds ‘beauty in the fight’ during the NFL pandemic season
· Derrick Henry wins PFWA NFL Offensive Player of the Year award
· New Falcons coach faces life in football without Derrick Henry
· ‘An exciting time’ for St. Michael with Philip Rivers ready to start his coaching career
· Philip Rivers decides to retire after 17 seasons of the NFL
· Mack Wilson fixes barriers with Patrick Mahomes’ mother
· Ravens make ‘tough business decisions’ in Mark Ingram
· Sarah Thomas becomes the first official Super Bowl woman
· 3 with roots in Alabama football make the NFL All-Rookie team
· What Cam Newton used: 2020 NFL season
· Mark Ingram ‘looking forward to my next opportunity’
· NFL will not gather potential customers in Indianapolis for the annual match this year
· Carlton Davis helps eliminate “petty assailant” Michael Thomas
· Derrick Henry and Minkah Fitzpatrick gain All-NFL recognition again
49ers promote DeMeco Ryans to defensive coordinator
· Mafia Bills contributing to Bradley Bozeman’s charity
· Four finals defined in the Super Bowl LV tournament
· Brady, Bucs defeated Brees and Saints in the NFL playoffs
· Mack Wilson impacts the NFL playoffs in the Browns-Chiefs game
· Levi Wallace records his first sack in the NFL in Bills’ playoff victory
· JK Scott punts, passes the Packers victory in the playoff