Days after the Cardinals brought in Marlon Mack, they will lose the veteran running back. Another Achilles injury is set to sideline Mack, with Jonathan Gannon indicating (via AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban) the recent free agent pickup is out for the season. The Cardinals have placed Mack on IR.
This brings another major blow for Mack, whose career was once altered by an Achilles tear. Mack’s potential for a decent free agency payday slipped away after he suffered the tear in September 2020. The former 1,000-yard rusher has struggled to carve out roles since.
That 2020 injury opened the door for Jonathan Taylor in Indianapolis and abruptly ended Mack’s prime. While the ex-fourth-round pick has signed several one-year contracts since, he has not been used in a similar capacity since the initial Achilles setback. Mack, 27, spent last season with the Broncos and 49ers.
After gaining 1,091 rushing yards in 2019, Mack saw the Colts use a second-round pick on Taylor the following April. The Colts still re-signed Mack in 2021 but did so on a one-year, $2MM agreement. Mack signed another one-year, $2MM pact — with the Texans — in 2022, but Houston cut him prior to setting its 53-man roster. Mack has only gained 185 rushing yards since going down early in his Colts contract year.
Mack was set to vie for a backup job behind James Conner. The Cardinals have 2022 sixth-rounder Keaontay Ingram, Corey Clement and Ty’Son Williams as options. They also worked out Damien Williams recently. With Mack down, Arizona may be on the lookout for another veteran.
Sad as Mack was a bruiser
That’s very unfortunate. It doesn’t seem like long ago that Mack was an emergent talent in Indianapolis. Here’s to hoping for a speedy recovery.
It would be rather ironic if the Redbirds now brought back RB David Johnson after having relieved themselves of Andre Hopkins.
The Cardinals don’t seem to have much in the way of running backs on their roster, especially given the uncertain return date/form of Kyler Murray. They are clearly building a Su-k for Luck sort of roster – thus if you are a season ticket holder you better get your unused tickets on Stubhub before they start 1-4.
Kareem Hunt on line 1.
Or Elliott. Or even Cook. There are a few options. If they want to swing for the fences for the future, perhaps Taylor or Jacobs could be had for a trade. I doubt that would happen, considering that those picks could and probably should be used for future talent.
SMH…
Damn, if it wasn’t for bad luck, he wouldn’t have any luck.
Perhaps Marlon can buy himself a guitar and earn a few bucks playing Albert King songs.