Mark Ingram took pride in being listed on his high school roster as an "athlete" rather than merely a tailback, and would like to expand his role to include that tag once again.
He sought to prove it with his performance in Saturday's preseason game against the Patriots.
The Saints' first play from scrimmage was a check-down to Ingram for an 11 yard gain, and the second a 29 yard pass play out of the backfield and down the sideline.
That's something he'd like to do more of this season.
"I know I'm a three-down back," Ingram said. "I could do first down, second down, third down, run the ball, catch the ball, pass protect. I take pride in being an every down back, being a back that doesn't have to come off the field, being a back that can do everything that's asked of him within the scheme of the offense."
Ingram did precisely that last season as the Saints' backfield took some lumps on the injury front. But he's not asking for more playing time, per se, just to do more while he's in there.
"I think this year is the first opportunity that I've actually had the chance to be able to go do those things," he said of his potential versatility, via ESPN. "I'm working on it, continuing to get better at it."
His progress in the passing game to this point, Ingram feels, has earned him some trust with quarterback Drew Brees.
"I don't think he was like, 'Oh there's Mark, I'm going somewhere else.' But I think he's more confident in me in that area," he said. "I've been working with him all OTAs and for five years now. And he's seen the improvement that I've made in just running my routes, things like that. So when he sees me out there in a passing situation, I think he's more aware that I'm there now."
PHILADELPHIA - Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins is the only name remaining on the roster that has withstood Chip Kelly's personnel blitzkrieg that had so many defensive backs looking for their luggage.
Bradley Fletcher and Cary Williams are missing from the corners, replaced by Walter Thurmond and Byron Maxwell; safety Nate Allen is history after four years with the club and a cavalcade of draft selections found three more cornerbacks join the fold.
Jenkins likes what he has seen thus far, probably because he's still there.
"No one player is bigger than the team, and that's me included," he said on Sunday, via CSNPhilly.com. "Every move he [Kelly] makes is to make the team better, so I can live with any decision that he makes because I know that's where it comes from.
Jenkins tallied 80 combined tackles and three interceptions against 15 defended passes (his career-high) with Philadelphia since signing in March of last year from the Saints.
But, if the two-time All Pro and Super Bowl champion with New Orleans knows anything being around the Eagles this offseason, anybody can go at anytime, and his name could be called next.
"Even if down the road that [the next move] ended up being me, I understand that I'm not bigger than the team and nobody is necessarily safe."
And if Chip Kelly's wizardy fails to produce at least a playoff berth come December, he may find himself looking for a new ZIP code.
METAIRIE, La. - Running back Mark Ingram and the New Orleans Saints have come to terms on a four-year deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The deal is worth a reported $16 million, according to a league source.
Ingram, a first-round pick and Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama in 2011, had 964 yards rushing last season on 226 attempts for nine total touchdowns last season.
2014 was a breakout year that saw him become the feature back after the departure of Darren Sproles to the Eagles and injuries to Pierre Thomas and Khiry Robinson.
In his five-year career, Ingram has racked up 2,426 yards on 582 rushes for 20 touchdowns, becoming the feature back after his professional career was hampered by injuries early on.
CHICAGO, Ill. - Drew Brees threw three touchdowns and Jay Cutler three interceptions as the New Orleans Saints handle the Chicago Bears 31-15 on Monday night.
The Bears added two late touchdowns and two-point conversion to avoid their first shutout at Soldier Field since 1982, Mike Ditka's first game as a head coach, also against the Saints.
New Orleans (6-8) rebounds from the wrong end of a 41-10 rout at the hands of Carolina to bring themselves into the lead in the NFC South before they battle Atlanta Dec. 21.
"You want to be playing for a lot at the end of the season, and we are right now," Brees said. "No bigger game than the one coming up."
Drew Brees connected on 29-of-36 pass attempts for 375 yards, clinching his 9th straight season with 4,000 passing yards, the best all-time mark in pro football history. He improves to a 12-4 career record in Monday night contests with the victory.
"We were pretty balanced and able to make some plays in the passing game," Brees said, outpassing Jay Cutler 111-2 in the first quarter and 217-41 at the half.
"They had a good plan," Cutler said of the Saints in a two-minute meeting with reporters. Chicago was shutout in the first half for the fourth time this season.
Jimmy Graham gained 87 yards on 5 receptions for the Saints. Pierre Thomas and Kenny Stills matched the catches for 83 and 67 yards respectively. Thomas snagged two screen plays for 39 and 31 yards on two drives.
Josh Hill caught two touchdowns and Marques Colston another as the Saints bookended the second quarter in pay dirt, the first one second in and the other with 32 seconds left, and took a 24-0 lead into the fourth quarter.
Their second scoring drive went 95 yards, three yards better than the Bears could muster in the entire game to that time.
New Orleans would outgain the Bears 443-278, enjoying a 131-27 yards advantage after the first quarter and a 245-92 lead at the half.
"You should have heard this locker room before the game started," Jimmy Graham said. "We need to come out every week just like that."
Chicago (5-9) began and ended the second quarter with interceptions, as they drop their third straight game and will miss the playoffs for the fourth-straight and seventh out of eight campaigns.
But they would respond in the fourth quarter, as they did in their losing result against Dallas Dec. 14, a game in which they were outgunned 35-7 before a three-touchdown fourth quarter.
Marquess Wilson and Alshon Jeffery hauled in two scores late to finally put the Bears on the board Monday night. Martellus Bennett added a two-point conversion.
Jay Cutler threw three interceptions through three quarters against five completions to his own team in that time, ending the night with his 15th interception and 24th turnover, both worst marks in the league.
He was sacked seven times, including three from David Hawthorne and twice on consecutive plays. His 31 pass attempts found 17 completions for 194 yards.
The game began with consecutive turnovers in what became a slop after a driving rainstorm. Jay Cutler was intercepted on his third pass attempt and Nick Toon fumbled Drew Brees' first pass on the Bears 3.
CHICAGO, Ill. - Drew Brees added another touchdown in the third quarter, after which the New Orleans Saints lead the Chicago Bears 24-0 Monday night at Soldier Field.
Drew Brees drove the Saints 80 yards to open the third, capped off by Josh Hill's second score on the night, a 7 yarder that found the quarterback and receiver roll right together.
Jimmy Graham set up the charge on a 29 yard catch-and-run. Kenny Stills and Nick Toon took passes to the Bears 12 before Brees and Hill connected on the misdirection play that had the formation heading left.
Cutler threw his third interception of the night on the Bears second chance, and his second pick to Pierre Warren, to that time throwing 3 passes to the Saints against 5 to his own team.
Brees connected with Jimmy Graham for a quick 26 yard pickup and to Nick Toon to the Bears 3. Shayne Graham kicked from 25 yards after the Saints flubbed the goal-to-go series.
Brees passed for 346 yards, completing 27-of-33 passes. Pierre Thomas has 83 yards on 5 receptions and Kenny Stills added 67 yards through the air.
The Saints' signal-caller clinched his 9th straight season of 4,000 passing yards Monday night, the best mark in pro football all-time.
Chicago managed 3 yards in 3 plays to open the third as Jay Cutler was sacked by David Hawthorne for his third against the Bears passer on the night, as the home side is well on their way to a third straight defeat.
Both sides enter the primetime contest with 5-8 records, though the Saints can still clinch a postseason appearance with a win over division-leading Atlanta Dec. 21. Chicago was excluded from the playoffs for the fourth straight year and the seventh out of eight seasons.
New Orleans bookended the second quarter with touchdowns and Chicago with interceptions.
Brees tossed an 8 yarder to Josh Hill and a 9 yard score to Marques Colston to take a 14-0 lead over the Bears into the halftime intermission.
The latter drive of 95 yards outgained the entire Bears first-half offense by 3 yards.
CHICAGO, Ill. - After a scoreless, soggy, and turnover-laced first period, the Saints bookended the second quarter with touchdowns to take a 14-0 lead on the Chicago Bears into the halftime break on Monday night.
Josh Hill and Marques Colston both caught scoring passes from Drew Brees, the first coming one second into the second quarter, the latter coming with 38 seconds left in it.
Hill snagged an 8 yard touchdown from Brees to cap an 84 yard drive as the second quarter began.
Pierre Thomas scampered into Bears territory on a 31 yard screen play, and Chicago's corner Kyle Fuller would extend the drive when he interfered with Jimmy Graham, pushing the visitors 17 yards to the Bears 8.
Drew Brees completed 18-of-20 for 226 yards passing and two touchdowns, clinching his 9th straight season with 4,000 passing yards, the best mark of any man in pro football's history.
He completed 14 straight passes in the second session, and his would-be 15th fell from Jimmy Graham's arm inside the Bears 12. Colston caught the next to the 9 with 43 seconds left before converting the 1st-and-Goal six seconds later.
New Orleans (5-8) is seeking a postseason berth from the NFC South, for which they will play when they host division-undefeated Atlanta on Dec. 21.
The Bears, on a two-game losing skid, have been eliminated from the playoffs for the fourth straight year and the seventh out of eight campaigns.
Both sides exchanged turnovers on consecutive plays to open the contest at wet Soldier Field. Jay Cutler's third pass of the night was intercepted by Patrick Robinson, and Drew Brees' first pass, to Nick Toon, hobbled to the Bears 3 before being fumbled and lost.
Jay Cutler was nearly intercepted on consecutive pass attempts when the Bears took the field to open the second. Saints coach Sean Payton challenged and lost the first of those, a bouncing toss that wound up in the hands of the defense, though was found after a review to hit the ground.
His 3rd-and-10 attempt for Alshon Jeffery was tipped away on a leaping defensive play from cornerback Keenan Lewis.
Cutler had 10 net yards passing to that point, also suffering two sacks in as many snaps. He went down a third time, finishing the half 6-of-14 for 56 yards.
His 17th interception, the most in football, came with no time left in the half as Pierre Warren hauled in what in effect was a fair catch.
Chicago (5-8) ventured a fake punt with ten minutes left as upback Kyle Fuller took the snap, though was stuffed a yard shy on the 4th-and-3 try. But the Bears would be pushed back for an illegal formation when they only fielded ten men.
They would find only 92 yards on 29 plays through thirty minutes as the Saints gained 245 yards in one more snap.
CHICAGO, Ill. - It was a story of consecutive turnovers in soggy Chicago on Monday night by teams that resemble in every way their 5-8 records.
Fourteen plays into the Bears' offensive attack, they had a turnover, two sacks, and 27 yards, 2 of which were Jay Cutler's very own.
All of which led inevitably to a scoreless tie after the first quarter at Soldier Field.
Chicago's first drive would end abruptly when Cutler's 3rd-and-8 pass for Martellus Bennett was tipped into the grasp of cornerback Patrick Robinson.
But Cutler's 22nd turnover would not cost the Bears, as Drew Brees' first pass attempt was caught and fumbled by Nick Toon on the Bears 3, recovered for the home side by Jared Allen.
Cutler was nearly intercepted again on the 3rd-and-1 play that ended their second drive.
The Bears' signal caller finished competing 2-of-5 passes. Matt Forte rushed 6 times for 21 yards, half the 42 he gained in his last two games.
A fumble would come to end the Saints' second possession. After Pierre Thomas took a screen pass 39 yards through traffic, when Brees fumbled an exchange on the next play, recovering for a 5 yard loss.
Backup quarterback Luke McCown, serving as special-teams holder, dropped the sloppy long snap, and in a panic rolled left on a pass attempt that was itself nearly intercepted.
Shayne Graham ventured a penalty-influenced 51 yard field goal that slid right, nearly slipping to the turf on his follow-through.
New Orleans is seeking a berth in the playoff, sharing the lead in the NFC South with the Atlanta Falcons, who they will host Dec. 21.
Jay Cutler was sacked on consecutive possessions, by David Hawthorne through the middle and on a delayed pass play from his blind side by Junior Gallette that ingloriously ended the Bears' third drive.
Kenny Stills easily snaked into Chicago's secondary to snag a 21 yard pass from Brees to near midfield, though Terron Armstead was called for holding Jared Allen, producing the 1st-and-20.
Which in the hands of Pierre Thomas was easily converted on his second successful screen catch, clear over midfield to the Bears 32 for a 31 yard gain.
Drew Brees is 5-for-6 on 111 yards, 70 of which went to Thomas.
New Orleans outgained the Bears 131-27 in fifteen minutes.
Chicago was eliminated from postseason contention for the fourth straight season, and are playing without leading receiver Brandon Marshall, who was excused for the season after suffering two broken ribs and a collapsed lung in the Bears' Thursday night matchup with the Cowboys.
CHICAGO, Ill. - In most divisions, a 5-8 record is a one-way ticket out of the postseason. In the NFC South, you're down right in contention.
New Orleans enjoys a tie with Atlanta on top of that division, though the Falcons are undefeated in the South. And the Saints, holding a 2-2 divisional record, control their destiny as they are due to host Atlanta Dec. 21.
But not before they face the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Monday night.
"The only reason we're sitting here still with that small sliver of hope is just because the way the division has unfolded this year," Saints coach Sean Payton said this week.
The Saints still hold that privilege even after falling 41-10 at home to the Carolina Panthers eight days ago, a four-win team that itself still has hopes of playing January football.
The defeat was the Saints' fourth-straight this season at home, against three victories, as the days of Superdome dominance are fast becoming history. Play on the road is little better, with wins at Pittsburgh and Carolina the only positive marks.
But Drew Brees still heads the league's third-best pass game (297.3 ypg) and Monday night will face the Bears' second-worst unit against the throw (265.5). His 3,983 passing yards are the fifth-most in the league and 28 touchdowns are the sixth-most.
He threw five touchdowns in his last two meeting with the Bears, both victories, completing 76 percent of his passes for 558 yards and no interceptions.
Chicago allows 29 points per game this season, as do the Saints, the most of any Sunday club, and give up the fifth-most yards (377.8), both reasons they will miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Monday night they will also face the third-best yardage team (421 ypg).
They allowed 35 points from the Cowboys before adding three scores of their own, though Jay Cutler's interception would clinch the defeat. That pick was Cutler's 15th, the second most by any passer in football, and he holds a tie for the most lost fumbles (6).
Dallas outrushed the Bears 194-35 behind DeMarco Murray's 179 yards, though Matt Forte would add a score late after only rushing 5 times for 6 yards against Detroit seven days earlier.
Not that the Saints can stop anyone much better.
They allow 378 yards on average every week, the fourth-most in football, posting the 30th-ranked pass defense (265.2 ypg) and the third-worst run stop (133.5 ypg).
New Orleans does rush for the eighth-most yards every week (123.7 ypg), though Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas last Sunday were held to 81 yards and 15 attempts combined.
Marques Colston was held to 72 yards on 5 receptions against the Panthers and Benjamin Watson to 8 yards on 2 catches, though one was the only touchdown for the Saints on the day.
"I'd use the word frustrated, I'd use the word embarrassed, to go out there as a professional football team and play that way at home," Watson said Sunday. "They outplayed us, outhustled us, out-executed us. Even if we lost, it shouldn't be this lopsided with the talent we have."
But the Bears (5-8) are still the worse for wear, having allowed 75 points in their last two outings, a Thanksgiving debacle at Detroit in which they led 14-0 early, and a 41-28 Thursday nighter to the Cowboys. Though they did post a three touchdown fourth quarter in a furious comeback bid.
"We have a great group here, great group of men, coaches and players, we've just got to find a way to come together and execute and try to win some ball games and finish strong," Bears linebacker Jon Bostic said this week.
Chicago will be without receiver Brandon Marshall after he was hospitalized following the Dallas game with two fractured ribs and a collapsed lung after being kneed in the back on a reception.
Mark Ingram took pride in being listed on his high school roster as an "athlete" rather than merely a tailback, and would like to expand his role to include that tag once again.