Eagles Trade Rumors: Updates on the Mark Ingram situation

The “Mark Ingram to the Eagles” talk has been pretty quiet ever since rumors of the possibility first emerged earlier this week. So what’s the latest? Here are a few updates on the situation.

Max Unger’s status

The premise behind Ingram being traded to the Eagles was that Philadelphia could send Jason Kelce to the Saints. But New Orleans might not be so desperate for a starting center after all. Pro Football Talk reports the Saints expected Unger back by the preseason. If true, that would kill an Ingram-Kelce swap.

It’s possible the Saints leaked that information to PFT in order to make it seem like they’re not so desperate. The Saints did seemingly leak information about the Eagles including Malcolm Jenkins in the Brandin Cooks trade offers, so it’s easy to theorize they could be feeding Mike Florio information yet again.

In any case, PFT’s report has certainly thrown some cold water on the rumors.

Crossing Broad’s update

But maybe all hope is not lost for Ingram ending up with the Eagles? After originally reporting the Ingram story on Monday, Crossing Broad’s Kyle Scott followed up with an update on Tuesday.

Yesterday, I posted that the Eagles and Saints did indeed have a conversation about trading Jason Kelce to the Saints for Mark Ingram. The conversation was the Eagles doing due diligence and perhaps not much more. I’m hearing that nothing is imminent, but that acquiring Ingram isn’t totally off the table. For instance… the Saints could cut Ingram later in the offseason if Adrian Peterson appears to be his old self in mini camps.

Personally, I have a hard time believing Ingram would be cut. I know the Saints have other running backs but Ingram is on a pretty fair deal and he’s only 27 years old. Not to mention he’s coming off his best career season. Just can’t see that happening. Of course, if it does happen somehow, the Eagles need to be ready to pounce on that.

Adam Schefter downplays the rumors

Schefter appeared on 97.5 on Wednesday morning to shut down the talk of the Ingram rumors.

Let me tell you. Allow me to refute that right now and say that there is absolutely nothing to that. There was absolutely nothing ever to that. I spoke with people in both organizations and both had the same reaction: “We have never spoken.” So I don’t know where that started, and maybe that’d start things up now? I don’t think so, based on the reaction that I got from both organizations, but that was never in the works.

Again, I don’t want to say it’ll never happen, because who knows. Strange things happen. But I’m just telling you there was absolutely nothing to that as of right now. I don’t expect there to be anything to come of that. So that’s where we’re at at that. Is that definitive enough?

Pretty firm denial there from Schefter.

So, no need to rush out and get your Ingram jerseys just yet. Sounds like the Eagles won’t be going that direction, at least not yet. It’s possible the Eagles ride with just Darren Sproles, Donnel Pumphrey, Wendell Smallwood, and Corey Clement ... but I can’t help but think they’d like to bring a veteran in at the right price. Here are seven options if the Eagles go that route.