Mark Ingram's had quite the whirlwind past several weeks in the NFL, one so hectic that he still doesn't have a place of his own since returning to the Saints before Week 8.
Ingram spent the better part of a decade with the Saints, but had to scramble for a place to stay when he was suddenly traded from the Houston Texans back to New Orleans. The good news is former teammate Terron Armstead had an extra room and Ingram could stay there.
But then came this week, with Armstead's family coming to visit. A change was needed.
"I figured that they would need the extra space," Ingram said. "So [Kenny] Stills has an extra room and I'm staying with him."
And it's fitting for Ingram and Stills to become de facto roommates this season, considering their familiar paths back to the team that drafted them. While Ingram, the No. 28 overall pick in 2011, was re-acquired in a trade, Stills was signed as a free agent early in the season, 8 years after the Saints made him a 5th-round pick in the 2013 draft. Both now have a significant role on this year's roster, with Stills called up from the practice squad multiple times before being signed to the active roster.
Ingram sits just 19 yards shy of Deuce McAllister's franchise mark for career rushing yards, a record likely to fall in Week 10. Stills has struggled with drops, but caught the go-ahead touchdown pass against the Falcons that, for a few moments, appeared like it might have secured a stunning Saints comeback.
With Alvin Kamara's status for Week 10 up in the air, that record could come along with a featured role against the Tennessee Titans. Stills' role also appeared in jeopardy as Odell Beckham Jr. mulled his options, but has since landed with the L.A. Rams.
"That's like my brother," Ingram said.
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But as exciting as it was, it's not particularly new. The Saints have often brought back former players later in their careers. On the current roster that includes safety Malcolm Jenkins and cornerback Ken Crawley, both of whom played elsewhere before returning to New Orleans. Other recent players on that list include tight end Benjamin Watson and cornerback Patrick Robinson. But it's a practice that dates back even further. Ingram pointed to the returns of safety Roman Harper and offensive lineman Jermon Bushrod earlier in his career.
While notable, the explanation isn't complicated, as Ingram tells it.
"The business is tough, so sometimes guys leave. But I think New Orleans is a special place. And a place where guys who had started their career here or been here for a long time think it’s home, think it’s family," Ingram said. "So if you have a chance to come back, I think it’s almost like a no-brainer. And I’m thankful to be back. I think it was perfect timing. I was gone 2-and-a-half years, but I’m thankful to be back at this time, at this moment, with this team.”
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