Texans Meet With RB Marlon Mack

Two-year Texans contributor David Johnson is a free agent, joining 2021 acquisition Phillip Lindsay, who finished last season in Miami. While Houston extended Rex Burkhead and re-signed Royce Freeman, the team is looking into additional veteran help.

Marlon Mack is on the team’s radar. The Texans met with the longtime Colts back Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Jonathan Taylor took Mack’s spot in Indianapolis, but an Achilles injury changed the former 1,000-yard rusher’s career.

Indianapolis agreed to work with Mack on a trade last year, but he instead remained on the Colts’ roster as a seldom-used backup. Since his September 2020 Achilles tear, Mack has just 32 carries for 127 yards. That said, he is approaching two years since that injury and was productive for the Colts in the late 2010s. Mack, who just turned 26, topped 900 rushing yards in a 12-game 2018 season and totaled 1,091 on the ground in a 14-game 2019 slate.

The Texans certainly have a need for a younger back, with Burkhead now 31 and Freeman coming off a year in which he was with three teams. But Houston has used veteran-heavy backfields under GM Nick Caserio. Although Mack generated some trade interest last year, he will be available on a low-cost deal despite his pre-injury success.

View Comments (7)