Today's nearly valueless backup could be tomorrow's valuable starting running back. That's what dynasty owners who have been holding Ben Tate and Toby Gerhart the past few seasons discovered last month, anyway. And that's what those who have been holding on to Mark Ingram could discover a year from now.
The Saints won't pick up Mark Ingram's fifth-year option, according to this story in the New Orleans Times-Picayune. It's not surprising, as picking up the option would require the team to pay Ingram $5.2 million in base salary next year. The way running backs are getting paid these days, he'd need to be an Adrian Peterson-like talent to command that kind of coin.
Ingram has had a couple of good games as a pro, generally against bad run defenses. By and large, he'd been a disappointment, and his usage -- in a crowded committee with Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles, and sometimes another back -- haven't given him much chance to break out. And there's little reason to think that will change this year, with Thomas still around, and Khiry Robinson likely ticketed for an increased role.
But Gerhart showed very little in Minnesota as Peterson's backup, yet he's slated for a feature role in Jacksonville. Ben Tate was an injury-prone disappointment, for the most part, in Houston, and he'll be starting in Cleveland this season.
So assuming Ingram does hit the market next offseason, it's reasonable some team will view him as a potential starting running back. He could go from being a frustrating part-time player in New Orleans to a leading rusher for somebody like the Titans, Raiders or Colts. You never know.
Just another possibility to keep in mind for forward-thinking dynasty owners. Today's crowded-committee disappointment could be tomorrow's starting running back for a different team.
--Andy Richardson