The Colts want to extend Marlon Mack, and he wants to be extended.
According to Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star, the Colts have started talking about doing a new contract for their workhorse running back.
The 23-year-old Mack has certainly earned such consideration, coming off a 1,091-yard season at the same time he enters the final year of his rookie contract.
“Part of our offseason evaluation [is] — we know, we’re going to try to take care of our own — so who are guys that we want to extend?” General Manager Chris Ballard said after the season, mentioning center Ryan Kelly and Mack. “Marlon, look, he easily could have missed more games [with a broken hand], but he didn’t. He fought to get back in because he wanted to play.”
Given the short shelf lives for running backs, Mack is also aware of the importance of cashing in when he can.
“In this league, as a running back, you gotta strike fast,” Mack said last season. “You don’t strike fast, that’s it for you. You’re too old at. . . . Running backs, man, running backs don’t always get treated well. Running back is an important position. I hope people can learn that one day. I don’t know when it fell off [for us], but I need it to go back up. Hopefully it happens one of these days.”
The 2017 fourth-rounder is the kind of player the Colts want to hang onto, an ascending one in addition to being one of their own.