5 free-agent running backs the Panthers should target in 2021
By Dean Jones
Mark Ingram
- 2020 team – Baltimore Ravens
Much will depend on just how much money Mark Ingram is looking to command in free agency. But there is no disputing the player’s credentials after a fantastic career so far.
Ingram would complement Christian McCaffrey extremely well, with his strong running style between the tackles sure to take some of the pressure off the All-Pro. The Carolina Panthers need to do this as they look to avoid further injury complications regarding a player they gave a four-year, $64 million deal with a $21 million signing bonus and $38 million guaranteed before the 2020 campaign.
There isn’t much that Ingram hasn’t done throughout his career. The Heisman Trophy winner is a three-time Pro Bowler that has accumulated 9,219 all-purpose yards and 72 touchdowns during his 10-year stint in the NFL. But the Baltimore Ravens made him surplus to requirements and cut the player loose before the 2020 season came to a conclusion.
Plenty of teams should be calling Ingram, although his days of being an undisputed No. 1 starter are probably a thing of the past.
The veteran has proven his ability to work as a tandem alongside Alvin Kamara with the New Orleans Saints. So combining with another elite dual-threat weapon such as McCaffrey might be an enticing proposition.
Whether Ingram wants to land on a team that is more capable of contending for a Super Bowl is up for debate. But if the Panthers can somehow land Deshaun Watson, it will only enhance their immediate chances and make them a more attractive destination for upcoming free agents.