How much to pay Marlon Mack?

It was reported Monday that the Colts are in talks with getting an extension done with their starting running back, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. But how much they give him will be a tough decision for Ballard.

While the endless debate of the importance of running backs rages on, the Colts are likely to give Mack a second contract. Typically, that doesn’t end well given the short shelf life of the position. But Mack has been great and a productive back in Fran Reich’s system.

But even so, the Colts are going to have to give him a nice pay raise on the extension. It won’t be necessary to break the bank, but it will be interesting to see if Mack gets an above-market deal, which goes against Ballard’s philosophy.