Seahawks RB Washington will be fine for training camp

Taking off New Orleans Saints jersey to join the Seattle Seahawks, running back Leon Washington seems eager to work with the new team. The 2008 All-Pro running back had to spend most of this offseason on recovering from a broken leg, but he told reporters recently that he would be fine for Seahawks’ training camp in late July.

Washington became expendable after his former team had a new running back LaDainian Tomlinson and it was no surprise that he was traded during the three-day NFL draft for a higher round draft pick. But to Seahawks, the addition of a running back like Washington was much more important than drafting a talented rookie. It was expected that Washington would take the starting job with the Seahawks. And if his leg allows him to return in time for training camp, Washington’s starting job would somewhat secured.

The All-Pro as a kick returner for the 2008 season made $535,000 in the final year of his rookie deal, and he had been asking for a significant salary raise before he broke the leg. The second-round tender he received from his former team was worth $1.759 million, far less than Washington’s expected $5 million to $6 million. The Seahawks have made it clear that they would consider giving Washington a chance to prove whether he is worth that much.

Saints new LB Ingram hopes to be ready for training camp

After signing a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Clint Ingram has been hopeful with his career future and promised that he would try his best to be ready for Saints training camp as soon as possible. Ingram is still recovering from a microfracture surgery he had last September to remove a cyst.

According to the linebacker himself, his rehabbing progress goes on well and he has been able to walk without help of crutches. He plans to watch his new teammates in Saints jerseys practicing from the sideline next week before he himself is healthy enough to go onto the field. Saying that he hoped to take part in full practice in early period of the Saints training camp, Ingram is confident that he will be available to play in all the 16 regular-season games.

Since the former starting linebacker Scott Fujita’s departure, the Saints had been in lack of a veteran replacing starter with excellent experience at this position. They already had young linebackers like Jonathan Casillas, Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Stanley Arnoux before Ingram’s arrival, but none of them seems competitive enough to contend for the starting job with Ingram once the veteran is fully recovered.