Marcus Mariota could be playing for a different team next season. Mariota was brought in as a backup for Derek Carr, but his contract is too expensive.
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Mariota was signed to a two-year $17.6 million deal last year. The Raiders wanted depth at quarterback as Derek Carr had been inconsistent all along. However, Carr turned in one of his best seasons, and thus Mariota’s contract became a liability.
Thus, if Mariota is available, there’s a strong chance many teams will pounce on him. Where could Mariota end up next year? Read on to find out.
Also read: Orlando Brown Trade Destinations: Where The Ravens’ Pro Bowl Tackle Can Land This Offseason
Marcus Mariota Trade Destinations:
1. New England Patriots
The Patriots will always be linked to any quarterback trade rumors this offseason. After a terrible year in which Patriots quarterbacks only threw for 10 touchdowns, the Pats are desperate.
The former Titans quarterback could develop under Head Coach Bill Belichick. There is hope in the organization that Mariota could become the Ryan Tannehill of the Patriots.
Mariota is also a dual-threat quarterback, and the Patriots ran an interesting experiment with that last year. Cam Newton’s rushing ability proved to work, but it was his lackluster passing that ultimately held the team back. Mariota is arguably a better passer than Newton and so he could take the Pats offense to a much higher level.
2. Philadelphia Eagles
Could the Eagles consider a Wentz for Mariota swap? There is no verdict so far on how good Jalen Hurts is, and with Mariota there could be a legitimate quarterback competition in Philly.
The Eagles are moving past the Wentz era, and getting Mariota in return wouldn’t be that bad. Mariota isn’t the greatest quarterback out there, but he’s far better than any unproven commodity. Perhaps Mariota just needs a change of scenery which Philly can offer to him.
3. Chicago Bears
Like the Patriots, the Bears are going to be linked to any major free agent quarterback. While Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace are set to return, the Bears know that Mitchell Trubisky is not the answer. He was terribly inconsistent, and he never picked it up after being benched for Nick Foles.
Speaking of Nick Foles, he may have been even worse than Trubisky, and there’s no chance the Bears consider him a franchise quarterback.
Why not take a chance on Mariota? The Bears can sign him for less money, and fill the contract with incentives to ensure Mariota plays at his highest level. At this point, the Bears are out of first round draft picks, and their cap space is minimal.
A lot of money is tied into the defense, and the Bears will need to cut or trade players to build a better offense. Could they consider trading Robert Quinn for Mariota? Would the Raiders even go for that? It’s worth a shot, to be honest.
