Oakland Raiders: More big names to target during 2019 NFL free agency

Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints

There’s a very good chance Marshawn Lynch will not be back in 2018. Not only is he injury prone and inconsistent in terms of his production, but there’s still the possibility of him simply deciding to hang up his cleats — for a second time.

Either way, the Raiders need to find a replacement atop the running back depth chart. I’m a firm believer that re-signing Doug Martin isn’t the answer, and Jalen Richard doesn’t have the skill set to handle the workload of a top runner. Luckily for the Raiders, there are plenty of capable free agents who could fill the role in 2019.

One of the top names on that list is Mark Ingram, the former Heisman Trophy winner and first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints. Headed for the open market this offseason, Ingram is likely looking to land somewhere he doesn’t have to share as many touches as he did with Alvin Kamara over the last two seasons.

That could very well be the case with the Raiders. Even if they were to re-sign Richard as the third-down back, he wouldn’t eat too much into Ingram’s workload. Although it would be a huge change of scenery given the Saints’ recent success and the Raiders’ lack of it, Ingram would cash in while stepping into a workhorse role.

As long as he doesn’t cost too much, Ingram makes perfect sense for Oakland. He’ll provide an instant upgrade for the ground game while giving Derek Carr a capable option out of the backfield.