The New Orleans Saints will have to play their remaining regular season games without Pro Bowl running back Mark Ingram who was placed on season-ending injured reserve (IR) Wednesday due to a shoulder injury. 

Ingram being on IR is a bit surprising since he still played in their 41–38 defeat to the Carolina Panthers last Sunday. 

According to ESPN, it is unknown when Ingram's shoulder injury was aggravated, with him not present in the earlier parts of the Saints' Wednesday practice, which was open to the media. 

Losing Ingram is a tough setback for the struggling Saints who currently hold a 4–8 record for the last spot in the National Football Conference (NFC) South. 

The 25-year-old is one of the few thriving players for New Orleans this season and in 12 games played has 166 carries for 769 yards and six touchdowns. 

Along with the rushing game, Ingram also has 50 receptions for 405 yards this 2015 regular season. 

Now, Ingram's replacements, backup running backs C.J. Spiller, Tim Hightower, and Marcus Murphy, will have to step up and fill the huge gap he left. 

In a report by ESPN, Saints franchise quarterback Drew Brees spoke about their running back situation after Ingram was placed on IR. 

"You hate to lose guys like that, that mean so much to your offense. But it's kind of the next-man-up mentality," Brees stated. 

"And Tim Hightower is a guy who's been looking for an opportunity now for a while, and he's gonna get that. And C.J. Spiller as well. And Marcus Murphy. We'll have a role for all these guys," he added. 

With four more weeks remaining in the regular season, the Saints are aiming to turn things around and better their weakening playoff chances with upcoming games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Atlanta Falcons.