One article makes you change your view on a talented running back in a high powered offense? Hmmm, not a very good decision.
Ingram should produce fine, they didnt trade up to get him to give him 150 touches.
I'm curious what role those who say Ingram will now be the 'bell cow' see for pierre thomas, chris ivory and darren sproles. I mean that is a lot of mouths to feed for a team that is a pass first team
Especially when the 'bell cow' is a rookie, who didn't have the benefit of OTA's off season conditioning. If you were payton why would you want to pound him 25-30 times a game when you could rather easily give the rookie 15 carries a game and spell him with any one of three productive veterans with various skillsets while he develops at the position. I don't care how much we want things to be a certain way, looking at how a coach has used his players is a pretty good indication of how he will continue to do so.
25-30 carries a game would be 400-480 on the year.I don't think any RB gets that this year, or ever again (Larry Johnson holds the record with 416)
I am not even sure he gets the 15/game you are suggesting.
That would lead to 240 carries.
I see him at around 216 or so 13.5/game.
I think we'll all look back on this thread and laugh at how silly our under-estimates of his carries were. Payton is going to lean on him. A LOT. Trust me. This isn't going to be Larry Johnson or Eddie George type of work. But, 15-carries-per-game minimum, with some games deep in the 20s. Buy now while the price for him is at its lowest.
Initially I thought the same thing, but 15/game is at 240 (AP in his rookie season had 244), the numbers you are throwing out seem to indicate you think he could near 300 for a rookie, with limited training camp, with a rookie who will play more than 12 games for the 1st time in his career, with a rookie who I presume NO will need come week 18, 19 maybe week 20 of the NFL season?I just think it would not be smart, or in fact needed.
When Peterson got his 244 as a rookie, TJax was the QB, and Bobby Wade was the leading WR on that team.
They NEEDED AP to run the ball.
The Saints have one of the best QB's in the league, good WR's, an athletic TE with promise, and other RB's who can contribute.
I just don't think they will feel the need to give this guy 250+ carries as a rookie.