Report: Chiefs Have ‘Looked Into’ Trading for Colts RB Marlon Mack

Marlon Mack has recently garnered trade interest from the suddenly running back needy reigning AFC Champions.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Kansas City Chiefs have ‘looked into’ trading for recently made available former Indianapolis Colts’ 1,000+ yard rusher Marlon Mack:

“The feeling around Indianapolis is the Colts want to do right by running back Marlon Mack, who has requested a trade, but there is not much interest just yet. Things could pick up closer to the deadline, and a conditional late-round pick probably gets it done.”

“Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs have looked into Mack, too. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is expected to miss extended time because of a knee injury suffered Sunday, so perhaps they add Mack to pair with Darrel Williams and Jerick McKinnon.”

With Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines firmly entrenched atop the Colts’ backfield as an effective ‘thunder-and-lightning’, 1-2 punch, there just aren’t enough carries for Mack to return to a featured role again—coming off a devastating season-ending torn Achilles in 2020.

While Mack has looked fairly good this season as a change-of-pace back—all things considered, having just averaged 9.4 yards per carry on 5 carries against the Baltimore Ravens during Monday Night’s primetime matchup, he deserves more of a meaningful opportunity elsewhere—especially in another contract year in 2021.

That likely won’t come in Indianapolis (unless there’s an injury), where he’ll continue to be utilized in a more limited capacity.

Still, with the Chiefs’ top-back, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, expected to miss multiple weeks because of injury, Mack could potentially carve out the lead role in the Chiefs’ running back room eventually—with Darrel Williams and Jerick McKinnon as his primary competition.

He’d also benefit from playing with Chiefs’ superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes in one of the league’s top offenses—where opposing defenses play a lot of nickel with lighter boxes to try to stop Kansas City’s prolific passing game.

That being said, as Fowler notes, the Colts can’t really expect much of a return on Mack, as he’ll likely command a late ‘Day 3’ pick—at best.

However, Mack has earned the opportunity to get more reps, and the Colts will presumably do their best to accommodate him—given that he’s been the consummate mentor and professional to their other young running backs, as well as a very productive player for the franchise.