His name isn’t Tom Brady but the Las Vegas Raiders did sign a quarterback on the first day of legal tampering as former Tennessee Titans starter Marcus Mariota agree on terms.
There will be a new quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders, but it’s not a guy from Boston. Former Titans starter Marcus Mariota has reportedly come to terms with the Raiders per a report by Vinny Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Although conventional thinking says Marcus Mariota will serve as the backup to Raiders starting quarterback Derek Carr, nothing is certain. At the very least, the presence of the Heisman Trophy winner and former starter in Nashville will push Carr. Raiders general manager Mike Mayock has always liked Mariota and the fresh start should do Mariota well.
In addition, Marcus Mariota should prove to be popular in the Las Vegas area due to his Hawaiian upbringing. Often called the “9th Island,” Las Vegas has a high population of former Hawai’i residents and a deep Pacific Islander culture.
Mariota seems to be a good fit and gives the Raiders a good option behind Carr.
The Raiders need someone who can adequately run and succeed in Jon Gruden’s offense. If Carr were to be injured, the Raiders offense will need a qualified game manager who could win games for them until Carr returns. Mariota, despite petering out in Nashville, could be that guy. He’s got something to prove and a fresh start with a team in a new market, new stadium, and a glitzy new city could be just what the doctor ordered for the talented former Oregon Duck.
It was the second free agent signing on the day for the Las Vegas Raiders on a fast and furious day of activity in the NFL. Earlier, the Raiders signed former Bears linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski. Kwiatkoski might not be a bonafide star, but he’s a vastly underrated player who fits nice for the Raiders. As our own Moe Moton wrote earlier this morning in his outlook on possible Raiders free agency signings, Kwiatkoski gives the Raiders some versatility at the position.
The Marcus Mariota deal will be finalized Wednesday at the start of the NFL new year.