Houston Texans 2021 player profile: RB Mark Ingram

The days of Mark Ingram’s name being mentioned amongst the NFL’s top running backs are long gone. But as Ingram enters the twilight of his career, he still possesses an attribute that can be beneficial to the Houston Texans next season.

Here is a look at what the three-time Pro-Bowler (2014, 2017 & 2019) can bring to the Texans in 2021.

Rundown

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Position: Running Back Age: 31 Height: 5-9 Weight: 210 pounds Hometown: Hackensack, NJ High School: Southwestern Academy (MI) College: Alabama Draft: 2011, Round 1, No. 21 overall (New Orleans Saints) Acquired: 2021 free agency

Profile

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Ingram had the least productive season of his career in 2020. Injuries and COVID limited him to 11 games and a career-low 299 rushing yards. Ingram's lack of on-field production resulted in him watching most of the year from the sideline in favor of rookie J.K. Dobbins. At 31-years old, there isn't much to expect from Ingram as he enters his first season with the Texans. But his ability to help Houston's red zone struggles is a skill set that can be useful to the club next season. With David Johnson recording a team-best four red zone touchdowns last year, the Texans only scored 54% of the time when inside the 20-yard line — according to TeamRanking.com. Ingram has always been a red zone threat throughout his career, and his addition to the team will improve Houston's transgressions. In 2019, the Baltimore Ravens scored 64.7 percent of the time they entered their opposing team's territory — finishing as the fourth-best in the league. Ingram played a tremendous role in the Ravens' success, as he rushed for a team-high eight red zone touchdowns on the year. While sharing a backfield with Johnson and Phillip Lindsay, Ingram — the elder statement of the trio — may not see much of the field in 2021. But the lack of snaps this coming season could be enough for Ingram to reclaim his role as a menace in the red zone.

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