Marcus Mariota - Pro Football Rumors

Raiders Agree To Terms With QB Marcus Mariota

March 16th, 2020 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Marcus Mariota is indeed heading to Vegas. The Raiders have agreed to terms with the free agent quarterback, reports Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review Journal (via Twitter).

As we passed along earlier tonight, Raiders starter Derek Carr isn’t going anywhere, as Mariota is expected to serve as the backup in 2020. There had been whispers for some time that the organization was eyeing the former second-overall pick, with the front office shifting priorities from a top-tier starter like Tom Brady to a solid backup who could push Carr.

The Titans traded for Ryan Tannehill last offseason, insisting that he was going to be Mariota’s backup. Of course after Mariota struggled to start the year he was quickly benched in favor of Tannehill, who ended up leading Tennessee to the AFC Championship Game and earning a massive extension. In total, Mariota finished the year having completed a career-low 59.4-percent of his passes for 1,203 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions.

While Mariota will temporarily be slotted in as the backup in Las Vegas, he could eventually push Carr for the full-time gig if the incumbent starter struggles. Mariota has shown flashes throughout his career, including a 2016 season when he tossed 26 touchdowns and ran for a pair of touchdowns. The 26-year-old has also started a pair of playoff games during his career, throwing for four touchdowns vs. only one interception.

Raiders Close With Marcus Mariota

March 16th, 2020 at 7:49pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Well this is certainly going to raise a lot of eyebrows around the league. The Raiders are “pushing to close out a deal” with free agent quarterback Marcus Mariota, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link).

While Mariota is a high profile addition, this doesn’t mean the end is near for Derek Carr, as Sirius XM NFL Radio insider Adam Caplan tweets that Mariota has been their top choice to backup Carr. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweeted that Vegas has had eyes on Mariota for a long time, and that’s what we heard a couple weeks ago. The thinking at the time was that the Raiders had shifted from pursuing a top-tier starter like Tom Brady to pursuing a solid backup who can push Carr.

This all but certainly removes the Raiders from the Brady sweepstakes. While head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock will likely insist for the time being that Carr remains the starter, they likely wouldn’t be making this move if they were completely sold on him as the long-term answer under center.

Mayock has hedged all offseason when asked about Carr, and it’s been tough to get a read on how Gruden truly feels about him. We heard last month there was a “growing sense” that teams would inquire about trading for Carr. Interestingly enough, Mariota might find himself in a situation very similar to the one he was in last year, just on the opposite end.

The Titans traded for Ryan Tannehill last offseason, insisting that he was going to be Mariota’s backup. Of course after Mariota struggled to start the year he was quickly benched in favor of Tannehill, who ended up leading Tennessee to the AFC Championship Game and earning a massive extension. Now, Mariota might get the chance to do the same thing to Carr. As Garafolo points out Mayock had Mariota as his top-rated quarterback in the 2015 draft class, ahead of Jameis Winston who went first overall.

Raiders Interested In Marcus Mariota

March 6th, 2020 at 1:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

It looks the Raiders’ quarterback search has taken a turn. Instead of mounting a full-force pursuit for Tom Brady, the Raiders are now likelier to add a backup type to compete with Derek Carr, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reports (via NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal, on Twitter), adding that Marcus Mariota is a Raider target.

The Raiders have been linked to Brady for several weeks, but not much has emerged on that front for a while. And the Titans appear to have moved ahead of the AFC West teams in their run at Brady. Their former first-round pick has options elsewhere.

The Raiders, Patriots and Colts have been connected to Mariota, and Garafolo points out the former Heisman Trophy winner was then-NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock‘s top-rated quarterback in 2015 (Twitter link).

Jon Gruden has sought a potential upgrade on Carr for a while now, and while Mariota does not profile as such, this is nonetheless an interesting development. The Raiders would be able to preserve more of their cap space with a Mariota addition than they would if they were to authorize a $30MM-plus-AAV deal for Brady. Las Vegas is interested in high-priced cornerbacks Byron Jones and Chris Harris.

Both Mariota and Carr peaked in 2016, with the former throwing 26 touchdown passes and the latter finishing third in the MVP voting that season. On Christmas Eve 2016, both players suffered broken legs. Mariota has fallen further than Carr since, totaling just 24 TD tosses in 29 games from 2017-18 and being benched for Ryan Tannehill midway through what became a Titans AFC championship game run last season. Carr finished 2019 with the best QBR (63.7, 10th in the league) of his career, doing so after the Raiders’ offense lost would-be No. 1 wide receiver Antonio Brown just before the season.

Patriots, Colts Interested In Marcus Mariota

February 27th, 2020 at 4:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Marcus Mariota‘s benching helped accelerate the Titans’ first trip to the AFC championship game in 17 years, the former No. 2 overall pick will have options on the market.

Several teams are interested in the five-year Titans quarterback, Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com notes, adding the Patriots and Colts are two of them. This continues a QB rumors cycle that is starting to frequently feature the Colts and Pats.

The prospect of the Patriots losing Tom Brady is increasing, and the Colts appear to be doing due diligence. They have met with Brady’s representation and look to be the early favorites for Philip Rivers. Mariota may be a consolation prize but would certainly cost far less than Brady or Rivers would. The Colts have Jacoby Brissett and Brian Hoyer under contract for 2020, but Jim Irsay has left the door open for major quarterback moves.

In a complex situation, Mariota’s Patriots place could go in several directions. Mariota could be a Brady replacement at a much cheaper rate. The 2014 Heisman winner could also be thrust into a competition to be Brady’s replacement with a higher-profile name. The Pats used rookie Jarrett Stidham as Brady’s backup in 2019 but could be eyeing a Brady-Mariota setup, with Mariota then settling into a developmental role while the future Hall of Famer plays his final season(s).

Pauline notes teams could be preparing quarterback competitions are eyeing Mariota. It would then stand to reason the Bears are among the interested parties. They are preparing to bring in a veteran arm to push Mitchell Trubisky.

The Titans benched Mariota during a Week 6 shutout in Denver and saw Ryan Tannehill pilot them to playoff upsets in New England and Baltimore. Mariota has struggled since a 26-touchdown pass 2016 season but did help the 2017 Titans into the playoffs, where the Patriots routed them in a divisional-round game.

Titans Won’t Trade Marcus Mariota

October 29th, 2019 at 2:37pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans aren’t looking to trade recently downgraded quarterback Marcus Mariota, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets. By the same token, the Titans’ former starter isn’t looking for a way out of Nashville, either.

The Titans benched the former No. 2 overall pick against the Broncos a couple of weeks back and, in Week 7, they stuck with Ryan Tannehill as the starter. Mariota’s Titans future is very much in flux, but the team hasn’t given up on him yet.

Mariota has had his moments, but he’s struggled for the most part over the last three seasons. After lobbing 26 TD passes in 2016, the Oregon product has just 21 in his past 35 games. He posted a 50.6 QBR figure in 2018, but he left the Titans’ starting lineup with a 30.8 number — 29th out of 30 qualified quarterbacks.

Joining Jameis Winston as the first quarterbacks to play out fifth-year option seasons, Mariota may be in his final months with the Titans. He is a free agent at year’s end and has not come especially close to living up to his No. 2 overall draft slot. He remains a key depth piece for a Titans team that has won two straight in an AFC that is short on locked-in contenders. It’s understandable they would like to keep Mariota around for a possible playoff push.

Titans To Start Ryan Tannehill In Week 7

October 15th, 2019 at 8:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans’ Week 6 switch at quarterback will carry over to their Week 7 game. Ryan Tannehill will start against the Chargers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Mike Vrabel benched Marcus Mariota against the Broncos, and the former No. 2 overall pick will stay as the backup for at least one more game. This is obviously a key move for a Titans team that has Mariota in a contract year. Mariota, 25, and Jameis Winston are the first quarterbacks to play a season on a fifth-year option; neither has done much to justify an extension in 2019.

Mariota threw three touchdown passes against the Falcons’ bottom-end defense in Week 4 but has struggled for the better part of the past three seasons. After throwing 26 TD passes in 2016, the Oregon alum has just 21 in his past 35 games. He posted a 50.6 QBR figure in 2018 but exits the Titans’ starting lineup with a 30.8 number — 29th out of 30 qualified quarterbacks.

Tannehill will return to a starting lineup for the first time since Week 17 of last season. The former Dolphins first-rounder, taken three years before the Titans’ Mariota investment, came to Tennessee via trade. Speculated to be a threat to Mariota’s job upon arrival, Tannehill will attempt to stop a Titans skid. The Titans have scored just seven points since their Week 4 win in Atlanta.

Tannehil, 31, fared better than Mariota in Denver, completing 13 of 16 passes for 144 yards in Tennessee’s shutout loss. He did not live up to the Dolphins’ expectations, seeing knee problems play a key role in his Miami exit, but will have another chance to prove himself. The Dolphins agreed to adjust Tannehill’s contract, as a result making this a contract year for the longtime starter. Tannehill is now in a contract year as well.

AFC Notes: Mariota, Moncrief, Colvin, Garrett

September 22nd, 2019 at 3:48pm CST by PFR Staff

After an ugly loss to the Jaguars this past Thursday, Mike Vrabel said that the Titans are not considering a quarterback change at this time.

Marcus Mariota, who has been struggling this season, may have cleared 300 yards against the Jaguars, but his performance was underwhelming for the majority of the game. On the season, Mariota is averaging career-low marks in completion rate (61%) and QBR (38) despite being surrounded with arguably the most talented supporting cast of his career.

In fairness to the ex-Oregon star, Mariota has been sacked more times than anyone in league history through the first three weeks of the season. Still, the Titans offense has been dreadful, having scored just seven points in their last 79 minutes of play dating back to Week 2 against the Colts.

Ryan Tannehill, who was traded to the Titans this past spring, figures to get a chance under center sooner rather than later if Mariota continues to struggle.

Heres more from the AFC:

The Steelers started the season with high hopes for new receiver Donte Moncrief, but after he dropped five passes in the first two games, Mike Tomlin is benching him for Sunday afternoon’s Week 3 game against the 49ers. Moncrief signed a two-year, $9MM deal with the Steelers back in March. Moncrief’s absence likely means an increased role for second-year wide receiver James Washington.
The Texans will carry less dead money against their salary cap because Aaron Colvin signed with Washington after his $34MM contract was terminated by the organization. Colvin signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with Washington at an $805k rate. Because his contract contained offset language, Colvin is now due $6.742MM from the Texans, less than his guaranteed $7.5MM base salary for the season. Colvin, cut for performance issues after a rocky first season last year and a tough start to this year, has a $2MM cap charge in 2020 for the pro-rated portion of his $4MM signing bonus.
The NFL fined Myles Garrett $21,056k for each of his two roughing the passer penalties on Monday night in the Browns‘ victory against the Jets. The second penalty injured Trevor Siemian’s ankle, which ultimately ended his season. “You do not want to put anybody out for the season,” Garrett said following the win. “That is their job. That is something that you do not do unless you love it, and you do not want to take that away from anybody. I hope [Siemian] comes back faster and stronger than he ever has. I wish the best for him.” Garrett was also fined $10,527k in Week 1 for hitting Delanie Walker in the face mask.

South Rumors: Mariota, Jags, Falcons, Bucs

January 2nd, 2019 at 7:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

This season did not produce the uptick in Marcus Mariota production the Titans wanted, but part of the reason for that was the starting quarterback’s multiple injuries. Elbow troubles plagued Mariota for much of this season, but he is not expected to need offseason surgery, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets. A nerve issue affected Mariota (11 touchdown passes, eight interceptions, 2,528 passing yards) this season and cost him a chance to help the Titans back into the playoffs, forcing Blaine Gabbert back into action in Week 17. Mariota is attached to a $20.9MM fifth-year option in 2019.

As the 2019 hiring period ignites, here’s the latest from the South divisions a

Dirk Koetter‘s interview for his old job as Falcons offensive coordinator will occur Saturday, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reports. The Falcons’ OC from 2012-14, Koetter is a free agent again after being fired by the Buccaneers. He may well be the leading candidate to succeed Steve Sarkisian running Atlanta’s offense. Matt Ryan has praised Koetter in the recent past. Mike Mularkey, Atlanta’s OC from 2008-11, and Darrell Bevell are the other known candidates.
The Jaguars voided the $7.1MM in remaining guarantees in Leonard Fournette‘s rookie contract. He has 50 days to file a grievance, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes Fournette surely will. Florio argues the contract does not include language addressing the voiding of guarantees for on-field misconduct, and such an omission will be key for the former top-five pick keeping those guarantees in his four-year deal.
Although the Jets are believed to be ready to make a run at Le’Veon Bell, Albert Breer of SI.com does not see that pursuit winning out. Instead, Breer said during an interview with Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd (via the Tampa Bay Times) the Buccaneers are his best guess as to who will be signing the running back’s checks in 2019. This would be interesting because of the Jets’ cap-space advantage ($106MM-plus to $17MM-plus, though the Bucs can clear a substantial amount of room without incurring dead money) and the fact Tampa Bay used a 2018 second-round pick on Ronald Jones.
Kyle Allen was not the first player summoned to action when Cam Newton was shut down, but he ended the season as the Panthers‘ quarterback. His short stay as the Panthers’ first-stringer earned him a legitimate chance to be Newton’s backup next season, Breer notes. Allen was a UDFA but came to college as a five-star recruit. He threw two touchdown passes and no interceptions in Carolina’s season-finale win over New Orleans.
Alex Okafor stood to miss a $400K bonus because he fell one sack short of the incentive’s five-sack threshold, but, interestingly, the Saints paid him the bonus anyway, per NOLA.com’s Luke Johnson. This could be a key component of the starting defensive end’s upcoming decision on whether or not to opt out of his contract. Okafor signed a two-year deal with a player option to stay in New Orleans and has until the final day of the 2018 league year to decide on the option.

Titans QB Marcus Mariota Not Expected To Play Week 17

December 30th, 2018 at 8:26am CST by Rory Parks

Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota is not expected to play in tonight’s do-or-die matchup against the Colts, per ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. Mariota is still listed as questionable and will test his arm during pre-game warmups, but he is battling a nerve condition caused by a stinger, and an independent spine specialist has advised Tennessee that the physical contact of a game could cause permanent damage.

The Titans did not have an immediate comment, and if they win tonight, it is unclear if Mariota would be available for the playoffs.

Mariota is also dealing with a foot injury, which Mortensen’s source says is a partially torn plantar fascia, but it appears the nerve condition is the bigger hurdle for Mariota at this point. Blaine Gabbert is expected to start in Mariota’s place, and Austin Davis, whom the Titans signed earlier this week, will serve as Gabbert’s backup.

Mariota was forced out of last Saturday’s win over the Redskins with the injury, and while it is not the same injury that led to his missing time earlier this season, it will seriously jeopardize the team’s chances of playing in January. The Titans are playing at home tonight, but they opened the week as slim one-point favorites, and Mariota’s uncertain playing status has shifted the odds in the Colts’ favor, as Tennessee is now a three-point underdog.

The winner of tonight’s matchup will make the playoffs, either as AFC South champions or as a wildcard. The loser will miss the postseason entirely. Gabbert and the Titans will need to be in top form to knock off Andrew Luck and the Colts.

Marcus Mariota’s Week 17 Status Uncertain; Titans To Sign Austin Davis

December 24th, 2018 at 2:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Going into their do-or-die Week 17 assignment, the Titans are again unsure about the availability of their starting quarterback.

Marcus Mariota was forced out of Saturday’s win over the Redskins with an elbow injury. Although Mike Vrabel said Monday (via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com) this is a stinger and not the same injury that forced Mariota to miss time earlier this season, he did not commit to his starter being ready to face the Colts in the NFL’s 2018 regular-season finale.

The Titans did not provide much information on Mariota’s previous injury, one that did not subside quickly and forced the fourth-year passer to wear a glove on his throwing hand during the season’s first half. Vrabel did say Mariota feels better the Monday after this setback compared to his state following the Week 1 injury.

The team is taking precautions, however, with Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com reporting (via Twitter) Austin Davis will sign with Tennessee. This is a similar course of action to the Mariota-related strategy the Titans took in September. Davis signed with the Titans in late September but was released two weeks later. He does not have practice squad eligibility remaining, per McCormick.

Mariota may be limited this week, but Vrabel said that would not stop him from playing. Blaine Gabbert would start if Mariota cannot go.