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Marcus Mariota

Commanders To Re-Sign QB Marcus Mariota

March 12th, 2025 at 1:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Marcus Mariota will remain in Washington for the 2025 campaign. The journeyman quarterback has a new Commanders agreement in place, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

This will be a one-year pact worth $8MM, Pelissero adds. That marks a slight raise compared to Mariota’s first Commanders contract. After a successful year backing up Jayden Daniels, he will do so again next season.

Pelissero notes Mariota drew interest from outside teams, but he turned that down to remain in the nation’s capital. The former No. 2 pick bounced around the league following his five-year run with the Titans, spending time with the Raiders, Falcons and Eagles before signing with the Commanders last offseason. Mariota made just three appearances in 2024, but he gave the team a veteran mentor for Daniels as he put together an exceptional rookie campaign.

Daniels’ strong play ensured Mariota would have needed to head elsewhere if he intended to compete for a starting gig. The 31-year-old’s last stint atop a depth chart came with the Falcons in 2022, when his passer rating (88.2) fell short of his career average. Failing to secure a long-term opportunity as a starter in Atlanta set Mariota up for a one-year spell as the Eagles’ backup prior to his intra-divisional move to the Commanders last spring.

That signing was seen as an indication the Commanders’ preference was to select Daniels with the No. 2 pick in the draft given Mariota’s mobility. Washington did indeed go in that direction, and the team’s success on offense led to renewed head coaching interest for OC Kliff Kingsbury. The former Cardinals coach ultimately withdrew from the 2025 hiring cycle, citing his satisfaction of working with Daniels. After winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024, Daniels will have both his offensive coordinator and QB2 back with him next season.

As expected, the first two days of the negotiating window brought about considerable movement at the quarterback position. That has continued into Wednesday, with the official start of free agency looming this afternoon. Mariota’s decision to remain in place has taken one more veteran passer off the market.

Jets Eyeing Modest Free Agent QB Addition?

March 3rd, 2025 at 9:52am CST by Adam La Rose

Aaron Rodgers is no longer in the Jets’ plans, and the timing of his release will likely come at the start of the new league year. By the time the first wave of free agency is underway, more clarity will no doubt be in place regarding the team’s intentions under center.

As expected, the team’s new decision-makers (GM Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn) informed Rodgers they will move in a different direction for 2025. That leaves the door open to another veteran being signed to compete for the starting gig. A draft investment is of course still on the table, with a trade up to the No. 1 slot being something to watch. More realistically, though, a modest signing on the free agent market looks to be in the team’s plans.

Both SNY’s Connor Hughes and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic (subscription required) write New York can be expected to pursue a middle-class option amongst the veteran quarterbacks set to be available in 2025. Former Jet Sam Darnold is the top name to watch at the position, but in terms of short-term investment options a number of other passers will be available. Pairing one of those with incumbent Tyrod Taylor would provide the Jets with a relatively stable floor in terms of QB play for next season.

Hughes and Rosenblatt both name Justin Fields and Carson Wentz as names to watch as it pertains to the Jets. The Steelers started Fields for the first six games of the 2024 campaign before benching him in favor of Russell Wilson. In spite of that decision, Pittsburgh is believed to prefer keeping the younger of the two signal-callers moving forward. If a reversal of that stance is to take place, the Jets will be one of the teams prepared to make Fields a strong offer on the open market.

Wentz’s last run as a starter came in 2022 with the Commanders. Since then, he has taken one-year backup deals with the Rams and Chiefs, making just five combined appearances in that span. The 32-year-old may welcome the chance to earn the staring gig on a pact with the Jets, but other destinations in a similar position will likely be available to him as well.

Hughes lists Marcus Mariota (who has been with four different teams in the past four years) as another potential target, while Rosenblatt adds that Kirk Cousins – should he be released by the Falcons – as a name to monitor. The latter could remain in place as Atlanta’s backup for 2025, something which would eliminate a notable option on the QB market. Taylor, meanwhile, has one year remaining on his pact and could boost his 2026 stock if he were to get the nod next season.

Adding a rookie at some point in April’s draft is something which is firmly receiving consideration by the Jets, per both reports. A move up to add Cam Ward would be quite pricey, but using Day 2 or 3 to add a developmental passer (not dissimilar to 2024 fifth-rounder Jordan Travis) would give the team another option for the future. With respect to the 2025 campaign, however, a major splash in free agency would come as a surprise at this point.

Panthers Re-Sign QB Andy Dalton

February 21st, 2025 at 8:58am CST by Nikhil Mehta

FEBRUARY 21: The deal is now official, and Over the Cap notes Dalton’s locked in compensation includes a $2.65MM signing bonus. Thanks to a 2027 void year, his cap charges will check in at $3.2MM and $5.85MM for the next two seasons while serving as a cost-effective backup in Carolina.

FEBRUARY 18: The Panthers have signed quarterback Andy Dalton to a two-year, $8MM extension, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal includes $6MM in fully guaranteed money with a maximum value of $10MM.

Dalton will be under contract in Carolina through the 2026 season and can continue his mentorship of former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, with whom he has a “close relationship,” according to Schefter.

Both quarterbacks earned praise from within and without the Panthers organization for how they handled the tumultuous 2024 season. Young was benched after just two games with Dalton starting Weeks 3 through 7. In that span, he completed 106 of his 159 passes for 989 yards, seven touchdowns, and six interceptions.

The Panthers went 1-4 with Dalton under center before a car accident sidelined him in Week 8, giving Young another opportunity to start. Dalton only missed one game, but Young held onto the starting gig on a week-to-week basis. After increasingly positive pronouncements from head coach Dave Canales, Young was finally declared the full-time starter to close out the season.

The Panthers have backed Young as their starter in 2025, but the maturity and experience Dalton demonstrated last season was worth keeping around. He is entering his 15th season and will turn 38 years old in October, so this could be his last contract. With at least $6MM coming his way, Dalton’s career earnings will be at least $115MM, per OvertheCap, and could reach $120MM if he hits the maximum value of the deal.

Dalton’s extension with the Panthers will keep him from hitting free agency, where he was expected to draw interest in the backup quarterback market. The Dolphins explored trading for Dalton last September, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, and were expected to renew their pursuit if he became available in March. Instead, they will likely pivot to Marcus Mariota, provided the Commanders don’t follow the Panthers’ lead and re-sign their veteran backup.

Raiders Interested In QB Marcus Mariota?

February 4th, 2025 at 3:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Quarterback will again be a position to watch closely this offseason for the Raiders. With the much of the team’s new coaching staff in place, one veteran name has emerged as a free agent option.

“There could be a little bit of interest in Marcus Mariota between the Raiders and Dolphins,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during a Pat McAfee Show appearance (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). “He’s gonna have some choices this offseason.”

Mariota’s relationship with Tua Tagovailoa is a factor which could make him a Dolphins target. Miami is aiming to acquire a high-floor backup, and the 31-year-old would meet that criteria. Mariota has 93 appearances and 74 starts to his name, although his last run of first-team action came with the Falcons in 2022.

In the event he were to return to the Raiders (after playing there from 2020-21) , the Oregon product could be an option to compete for bridge starter duties depending on how the team operates in the draft. A Vegas deal would represent a reunion with Chip Kelly, who coached Mariota in 2012 and is now back in the NFL as the Raiders’ offensive coordinator. The team will of course have other options to consider, though.

With the second-most projected 2025 cap space in the league, the Raiders will have the wherewithal to win a potential bidding war for the top passers in this year’s free agent class. Sam Darnold is therefore a name to watch, as is Russell Wilson since he and head coach Pete Carroll are once again on good terms. Vegas currently holds the No. 6 pick in April’s draft, which may put the team in range for a first-round QB.

Even if a young passer is added on Day 1 of the draft (or later), Mariota could be signed as competition or a veteran capable of handling QB1 duties while a rookie develops. As things stand, Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell are in place for the Raiders; the new regime led by Carroll and general manager John Spytek could very well make one or more changes to that room over the coming months, however.

Dolphins Eyeing Marcus Mariota, Andy Dalton?

February 3rd, 2025 at 5:36pm CST by Ben Levine

After cycling through a handful of backup quarterbacks in 2024, the Dolphins are determined to find a capable contingency plan for Tua Tagovailoa. That search could lead them to a former first-round pick, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported today that the Dolphins could be a suitor for free agent QB Marcus Mariota (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald).

[RELATED: Dolphins To Prioritize Backup QB Job]

Schefter noted the friendship between Mariota and Tagovailoa, plus the lack of state income taxes. While Mariota’s stats have generally been underwhelming throughout his career, he’s shown an ability to keep his team afloat. In 74 career starts, the former second-overall pick has gone 34-40, including a three-year span with the Titans where he finished with a winning record.

Most recently, Mariota has served as a backup in stops with the Raiders, Falcons, Eagles, and Commanders. He did garner 13 starts with Atlanta in 2022, but he’s otherwise been held to a bench role over the past five seasons. Over that span, Mariota has completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 2,977 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He spent the 2024 campaign in Washington, where he tossed four touchdowns in three relief appearances.

Jackson adds another name to Miami’s impending search: Andy Dalton, with the reporter noting that the veteran is “held in high regard” by the organization. Dalton has garnered starts at all of his post-Bengals stops, although that wasn’t always necessarily the plan. The 37-year-old got five starts for the Panthers this past season while filling in for the struggling Bryce Young, with Dalton guiding his squad to only a 1-4 record while tossing seven touchdowns vs. six interceptions.

While the Dolphins pursued “a couple of top-flight backup QBs” last offseason, the team ultimately stuck with Skylar Thompson as their initial QB2 while releasing Mike White from the roster. Thompson only got one start for the Dolphins, as the team also gave Tyler Huntley and Tim Boyle looks under center. The trio of backup options represented a clear step back from Tagovailoa, and when the QB1 was sidelined early in the season, the Dolphins were limited to only 40 total points in four games. The Dolphins are clearly looking to avoid a similar situation in 2025.

QB Rumors: Falcons, Daniels, Rams, Titans

October 23rd, 2024 at 3:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons‘ offseason quarterback plan drew considerable scrutiny, and evaluators are skeptical the team will carry it out. Kirk Cousins, who sits third in the NFL with 1,830 passing yards (highlighted by a 500-yard showing against the Buccaneers), is entrenched as Atlanta’s starting QB presently. Though, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes some around the league do not believe the Falcons will sit No. 8 overall pick Michael Penix Jr. for two seasons like they have planned to do. A Penix push toward a 2025 starting job would stand to bring forth Cousins trade rumors.

While nothing concrete has emerged on the Cousins front, this is not the first time execs have predicted a 2025 Falcons QB trade. Some in May predicted the long-rumored Cousins-Kyle Shanahan reunion would commence — if the 49ers become squeamish on a Brock Purdy megadeal. The Falcons have Cousins signed through 2027, though they have a clear out in 2026 — after $90MM of his $100MM guarantee will have been paid out. Penix, however, is already 24. Sitting the southpaw prospect until his age-26 season would not be optimal for the Falcons. Cousins’ 2025 money is fully guaranteed, which will be challenging for a trade. But if Penix’s development moves this situation toward a potential 2025 controversy, expect another offseason of Cousins rumors.

Here is the latest from the QB ranks:

  • Jayden Daniels did not practice Wednesday, moving Marcus Mariota closer to making his first start since 2022. The rib injury the Commanders QB sustained is not considered serious, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, but it would also not surprise — given the way Daniels winced after trying to return in Week 7 — if Washington exercised caution with the player who has a great chance of being the team’s first long-term QB1 in decades. Mariota played effectively against the Panthers but has not made a start since his controversial Falcons exit in December 2022.
  • The Titans have not seen their Will Levis development project produce notable strides. Crippling turnovers have played a key role in Tennessee’s 1-5 start, and Levis is now leading with a shoulder injury. Among qualified options, the 2023 second-rounder ranks ahead of only Deshaun Watson in QBR. As such, SI.com’s Albert Breer guesses the franchise will go into 2025 with an objective to find a new quarterback. It is still early, but at this rate, Tennessee giving Levis a third year to prove he can be a locked-in starter would be a reach. Ran Carthon‘s club would be an interesting destination, given the resources allocated to upgrading the offensive talent level around Levis this offseason.
  • Ditto the Rams, who have Matthew Stafford on a year-to-year arrangement. The Rams have not dangled Stafford in trades this year, separating the 16th-year veteran from Cooper Kupp, but they also did not authorize significant guarantee upgrades — like the QB sought — beyond 2024. As a result, Breer adds the team should be considered in play to draft Stafford’s heir apparent next year. Los Angeles is running out of time to land a successor who would develop behind Stafford, who is signed through 2026. Adding assets to help with that potential mission could be on the team’s mind now, as a Kupp trade would go toward that haul. The Rams and Chiefs discussed Kupp, but L.A.’s asking price — a second-rounder — may be steep for a player who has battled injuries in each of the seasons since his transcendent 2021.
  • Aaron Rodgers does not appear in jeopardy of missing Week 8, but the Jets quarterback is now on the team’s injury report with three maladies. The 40-year-old starter is battling hamstring, knee and ankle maladies. Rodgers’ hamstring “flared up” against the Steelers, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini tweets.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/24

October 5th, 2024 at 7:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Commanders

Mariota returned to practice on Wednesday, which was the earliest point at which he could be designated for return. As a result, it comes as little surprise he has been brought back onto Washington’s active roster. The 30-year-old is in his first season with the Commanders, and today’s move paves the way for him to handle backup duties moving forward.

Ngakoue remained on the free agent market into the start of the regular season. He was not connected to a Ravens reunion, but one took place last week. The journeyman sack artist had a brief spell with Baltimore in 2020, and he posted three sacks in 11 games. Ngakoue, 29, had one-and done campaigns in Vegas, Indianapolis and Chicago before taking a Ravens practice squad deal. He will make his debut tomorrow and aim to provide depth along the edge.

Commanders’ Marcus Mariota, Efe Obada, Jordan Magee Return To Practice

October 2nd, 2024 at 2:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Commanders have enjoyed a strong start to the season, and they could have a number of reinforcements in the fold soon. Among the players who returned to practice on Wednesday is backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. 

The 30-year-old was placed on injured reserve just before the start of the regular season. That move guaranteed a four-game absence, so today’s news is a sign he has recovered in full while returning to action when first eligible. Mariota will be able to dress as Jayden Daniels‘ backup provided he is activated in time for Week 5.

After the Commanders traded away Sam Howell, it became clear the organization would invest in a new passer via the draft. Mariota was brought in on a one-year deal to provide experienced depth capable of handling first-team duties on a temporary basis if needed. The play of Daniels to date has not created any doubt about his readiness for NFL duties, although Mariota did see some starter’s reps during the summer before this year’s second overall pick was placed atop the depth chart.

After the end of his five-year run in Tennessee, Mariota has bounced around the NFL. The Oregon product spent the 2020 and ’21 seasons as a backup with the Raiders before his single campaign in Atlanta the following year. Mariota logged 13 starts during his Falcons tenure, but neither he nor the team’s offense impressed in that time. Last season, he worked as the Eagles’ QB2 and made just three appearances.

As long as Daniels remains healthy, he will remain atop the depth chart for the 3-1 Commanders. Mariota’s return would leave Jeff Driskel as Washington’s third-string passer while letting undrafted rookie Sam Hartman develop on the practice squad. Mariota seeing the field at some point would allow him to help his free agent value ahead of next offseason and add to his 90 games (including 74 starts) of experience.

In other roster news, defensive end Efe Obada has been designated for return from the PUP list. The 32-year-old was limited to only five games with Washington last season, but he recorded between 3.5 and 5.5 sacks in each of the three previous campaigns. Obada should continue in a rotational role along the edge once he is activated. Fifth-round round rookie linebacker Jordan Magee, meanwhile, had his practice window opened after he was designated for return from IR before the roster cutdown deadline.

Washington also placed Jamison Crowder on injured reserve. The veteran wideout is dealing with a calf injury, and he will now miss at least four games. Crowder, 31, returned to the nation’s capital in 2023 after beginning his career there, and he played all 17 games. The pending free agent will look to get back on the field and into the Commanders’ receiver rotation once healthy.

Commanders Place QB Marcus Mariota On IR

September 7th, 2024 at 5:18pm CST by Ely Allen

The Commanders will be starting rookie No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels at quarterback to open the season in Tampa Bay tomorrow. Behind Daniels, though, Washington had to make a couple of roster moves at quarterback. Prior to tomorrow’s game, the Commanders announced that they would place Marcus Mariota on injured reserve while signing practice squad passer Sam Hartman to the active roster.

Mariota was set to enter the season as the veteran backup option behind the team’s rookie starter. Today’s transaction, though, means that the former No. 2 overall pick in 2015 will be out for at least the next four games. With Mariota out, the new veteran backup with starting experience is Jeff Driskel.

A former sixth-round pick for the 49ers back in 2016, Driskel has never entered the season as a starter, but he has notched 12 starts in 24 game appearances over his eight years in the NFL coming off the bench. Over that time, Driskel has a record as a starter of 1-10, but he has shown some efficiency with a 16-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio in his career.

Behind Driskel, the newly promoted Hartman will serve as the emergency QB3. A six-year college quarterback who transferred from Wake Forest to Notre Dame for his final year of collegiate ball, Hartman overcame a nagging injury history to become a successful starter for both the Demon Deacons and the Fighting Irish. He signed with Washington as an undrafted free agent and failed to make the initial 53-man roster but was signed to the practice squad shortly after being waived.

Joining Hartman off the practice squad, linebacker Nick Bellore and defensive tackle Sheldon Day will be promoted as standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow. Unlike Hartman, Bellore and Day will revert back to the practice squad after the team’s matchup with the Buccaneers.

QB Notes: Tua, Rodgers, Daniels, Steelers

July 24th, 2024 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tua Tagovailoa is not holding in, separating the Dolphins‘ top negotiation from multiple others around the NFL. This includes Jordan Love‘s Packers arrangement, which has become a hold-in situation. Despite Tagovailoa having a longer track record than Love, the fifth-year passer went through Dolphins workouts Wednesday. This did come with a notable exception. Tagovailoa took only two reps (both handoffs) in Dolphins team drills to open camp, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa’s camp workload — absent an extension — would compare to OTAs; the lefty did not go through team drills then or during minicamp. We heard Monday this would likely be the route Tagovailoa takes.

The Dolphins have been negotiating with Tua for months, and while some optimism has emerged, Miami’s QB1 has turned down at least one offer and may have seen the team dig in on a price south of Trevor Lawrence‘s $55MM-per-year deal. Lawrence receiving $142MM may also be much higher than the Dolphins want to go. McDaniel said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) both sides are “relentlessly” working on this agreement. The parties still have time to hammer out a deal before the season, but the longer this goes, the closer Tua comes to carrying a lofty franchise tag number (upwards of $40MM) on Miami’s 2025 cap sheet.

Here is the latest QB news coming out of training camp:

  • Aaron Rodgers confirmed a trip to Egypt indeed led to his missing minicamp and confirmed the Jets fined him for the unexcused absences. Rodgers has been criticized for a lack of leadership by skipping the offseason’s only mandatory workout, but he said his relationship with Robert Saleh has been unaffected. “I’m an adult; I knew what I was getting into,” Rodgers said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “I knew the fine that was coming and also knew how much I wanted to be in Egypt. I wish there hadn’t been a conflict scheduling-wise, but it was what it was.” Rodgers, who said be based the trip on the Jets’ 2023 offseason schedule, had shown up for OTAs prior to the abrupt — to the public, at least — departure.
  • Jayden Daniels does not have Commanders first-string reps to himself just yet; the No. 2 overall pick is splitting them with free agency addition Marcus Mariota, the Washington Post’s Sam Fortier notes. While Dan Quinn is labeling this a QB competition, Fortier cautions that Daniels is all but assured of the starting job. This follows a report that pointed to the Commanders indeed feeling no real reason to hold back the 2023 Heisman winner by giving Mariota bridge work.
  • Although the Daniels-Mariota split may deprive the highly touted rookie from early reps, Washington is holding an actual battle for the No. 3 spot. The team is pitting rookie UDFA Sam Hartman against veteran Jeff Driskel, Fortier adds. The former Notre Dame starter, who has a safety net via the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions’ recent draft choice, played behind Driskel to start camp. It is not yet clear if the Commanders plan to keep three QBs, but the winner of this battle would stand to at least be the team’s emergency option in the event only two are rostered.
  • Prior to the USFL and XFL merging, Ben DiNucci played in the former league’s second season and spent last year as the Broncos’ third-stringer. The recent Russell Wilson teammate worked out for the 13-year vet’s new team this week, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who notes the Steelers brought in the veteran. Pittsburgh has Kyle Allen in place behind Wilson and Justin Fields presently.
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