Mark Ingram returned home at the perfect time in 2021

The New Orleans Saints decided to make a move for an old friend this past season. Reuniting Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara was something that Saints fans had dreamed of. After leaving New Orleans in 2019, Ingram signed with the Ravens, then with the Houston Texans in 2021 and later dealt back to New Orleans. In 2021, Ingram rushed for 294 yards with Houston and 260 yards with New Orleans. Ingram arrived at the perfect time as Kamara was nursing an injury, so he stepped in and started three games for an extremely thin Saints offense.

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The Saints went into the season with a backfield of Alvin Kamara and Tony Jones Jr. after releasing Latavius Murray due to cap reasons and the emergence of Jones Jr. in the preseason. Running the ball was a struggle in the early part of the season and injuries late in the year, caused the whole offense to derail. So, the Saints decided to trade for an old friend and sent a 2024 seventh-round pick and a pick swap to the Texans for Mark Ingram. With the move, they also extended Ingram’s contract for another year.

This season when Ingram returned, it didn’t take him long to become the all-time leading rusher in franchise history. Against the Tennessee Titans, Ingram rushed past Saints legend Deuce McAllister’s franchise mark of 6,096 yards. That number will continue to grow for Ingram, as his career with the Saints will hopefully be longer than just through 2022.

Last season is something Saints fans want to forget. But moving forward Ingram and the Saints have bigger goals. Ingram is 32 years old and now entering a contract year and he’s publicly said that he would like to continue to play here and for longer than that. The best backfield duo in Saints history will hopefully have a full season back together, pending Alvin Kamara’s trial. If both are available for this season, it will be a dream come true for Saints fans. Boom and Zoom are back!

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