New Orleans Saints: Latavius Murray signing a net positive
The New Orleans Saints made a splash in free agency when they signed Latavius Murray over Mark Ingram. Here are 3 reasons why it’s for the best.
With free agency underway, the New Orleans Saints are making a lot of moves. Their biggest, however, has to be the signing of running back Latavius Murray. Less than the day after the news broke, it was reported that Mark Ingram would sign with the Baltimore Ravens. With Ingram out and Murray in, there is a lot to unpack with their respective decisions. With a lot of the players insisting that Ingram was staying, this came as a shock.
As it’s part of the business, it wasn’t as big of a shock as some make it out to be. Regardless, it is a bit disheartening to watch Ingram go somewhere else. If anything, it proves how much faith the Saints have in Alvin Kamara.
With the signing of Murray, the Saints are entering a new era, one without Ingram, but it isn’t all bad. There are a number of factors that make this a positive move for New Orleans heading into 2019.
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One of and if not the biggest reason is because of Kamara. Kamara became a superstar for the Saints in 2017 as a rookie and hasn’t looked back since. Kamara went from being a possible depth piece to No. 1 on the depth chart. Considering that the Saints picked him in the third round, he’s been an absolute steal. Where Kamara really got to shine was when Ingram was suspended for four games at the beginning of last season.
Kamara helped lead the team to win three of their four games. In those games without Ingram, Kamara averaged almost 70 yards per game and made an impact as a receiver, too. While Ingram had a big return the following game, the team relied heavily on Kamara still. Kamara gladly accepted the challenge and proved that he was more than just a placeholder for Ingram.
While it’s good for Kamara, it’s also good for the Saints. Financially, it took a huge burden off of them. Considering how long Ingram has been with the team, he would be hoping for a big payout. There’s nothing wrong with that, but the Saints weren’t going to be willing to meet him in the middle. With Kamara at the forefront, they had to focus more on the future rather than the present.
In signing Murray, the team was able to save a lot of money. Rather than give Ingram a much larger deal contract, the Saints signed Murray to a four-year contract for $14.4 million. A breakdown of the contract shows that half of the money is guaranteed, but a lot of it is based on the work Murray will put in. It was a smart move for the team as the shelf life of a running back is relatively short.
The last pro to signing Murray is that he isn’t looking to be their lead back. The Saints need someone who is more muscle than speed. Murray fits that and can be someone they can go to for a bigger run or when they need a quick a big third down. Overall, Murray is a good option for the Saints and will hopefully help them in finally winning another Super Bowl.
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Even though Ingram is now with Baltimore, it’s understandable to wish he would have stayed. He was a huge part of the New Orleans Saints organization for years. Boom and Zoom just won’t be the same without him. Either way, losing Ingram is tough, but was best for both parties involved.