The Raiders are preparing for their first season in Las Vegas, but it is still mysterious who their quarterback will be when they enter this new era in franchise history. They could stay with veteran Derek Carr, but the club has also been identified as a possible destination for future free agent Tom Brady. Now there is another quarterback that would have caught the attention of the Raiders brass as Mike Garafolo of the NFL network reports that Vegas is interested in free agent Marcus Mariota.
The former No. 2 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft has just completed his rookie contract with the Tennessee Titans and has just completed a campaign in 2019 where he was placed for Ryan Tannehill. Before being sidelined, Mariota struggled, leading Tennessee to a 2-4 record as a starter while completing less than 60% of their passes. After being forced to climb the pine, the Titans took off under Tannehill and reached the AFC championship, which only underscored Mariota’s difficulties.
However, Mariota, who will be only 26 years old at the start of the 2020 season, has a potential that could be unlocked and a change of scenery could do her good. Apart from last season, Mariota has proven to be effective as he maintains relatively low turnover and is not too far from a 2018 season where he made almost 70% of his passes. He will not impress you with his arm strength, but has the ability to play with his feet to some extent.
If the Raiders take him on board, it would probably be like a replacement behind Carr at the start. Mariota knows firsthand, however, that even if you start a season as a substitute, there are plenty of opportunities to make your way to that starting point, especially if Carr doesn’t surprise head coach Jon Gruden. Who knows, maybe it can be the 2020 version of Tannehill. It should be noted that Mariota was the number one ranked quarterback for Raiders general manager Mike Mayock when he entered the league in 2015, so clearly that the front office believes in his talent.
This Garafolo report also suggests that, as the Raiders explore other quarterback options this offseason, looking for a backup veteran like Mariota is more likely than the franchise looking for Brady, which is remarkable as we approach the start of free agency.
