Colts: Marlon Mack returning finally gives Indy three-headed backfield
By Adam Weinrib
The Indianapolis Colts have reportedly splashed their cash around on Wednesday, securing a fan favorite for the 2021 season.
No, not Darius Leonard. Not Quenton Nelson anywhere. Those long-term deals have not materialized.
Instead, Indy has secured the services of someone who acted in a mentorship role throughout the 2020 season, but also someone we definitely did not see returning when push came to shove ahead of 2021.
After all, doesn’t Marlon Mack want to maximize his touches?
Apparently, the running back would rather prioritize getting the band back together following his disastrous Week 1 season-ending injury.
Now, Indy will probably get the three-headed backfield of Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines and Mack that they intended all along.
RB Marlon Mack is indeed back with the Colts, per source.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) March 17, 2021
He stayed in Indy to rehab and mentor Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins. Terrific teammate.
Colts backfield gonna be a handful.
The Colts have beaten the odds and re-signed Marlon Mack.
The Mack deal is unfathomably cheap and impossible to complain about from Indy’s side of things.
Though they didn’t see it coming, they’ve now secured the services of a man who posted over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in both 2018 and 2019, and doesn’t have to operate with the strain of being a “lead dog” as he works his way back into shape from an Achilles tear.
Of course, Mack has been rehabbing with Taylor, Hines and Jordan Wilkins for the past several weeks (after leading them throughout the 2020 season from the sidelines), so we shouldn’t be stunned this came together.
For only $2 million? How can the Colts lose?
One year, $2 million for Marlon Mack, who heads back to Indianapolis to finish what he started after last year's Achilles tear. https://t.co/EefV7BAnrA
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 17, 2021
No touches will be “taken” from Taylor. The coaching staff won’t…forget to utilize Hines as a receiver out of the backfield.
The Colts are simply taking what fell into their lap here. They had a player in their building who didn’t feel like leaving, despite the fact that there were likely heftier offers on the table. Both sides got together and hammered out a one-year pillow that could allow this extremely stacked running back room to prosper, especially with continuity in their “coaching” staff from within.
Welcome back, Marlon. Now, can someone get Chris Ballard to extend our stars?
