When NFL executives and coaches are allowed to speak on the condition of anonymity, you tend to get something as close to the truth as they see it as possible. Mike Sando of The Athletic spoke to several NFL executives asking them was they thought of every team’s free-agent hauls. The executive who spoke on the Raiders had some very interesting things to say about the addition of former Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota.
“I think Mariota starts 10-plus games for them and fits well with what Jon Gruden wants to do,” an evaluator who was high on Mariota coming out of Oregon said. “If Jon loved Derek Carr, why is Marcus Mariota there? If you’ve got all the confidence in the world with your quarterback, why was Mariota one of the very early signings in free agency, maybe even the first quarterback announcement?”
He raises a very good point. One that can’t be denied. In previous years, the Raiders signed clear backups for Derek Carr. He was the clearcut starter and his job has never been threatened before. That changed with Mariota signing, especially considering he was given a contract that has literally $30 million in incentives should he become the starter. This doesn’t happen if the Raiders are still all in with Carr.
Another executive seemed to echo the idea that Gruden and Mariota are a good match, adding a comparison to the best quarterback match Gruden ever had as a head coach in the NFL.
“I do know the head coach loves Mariota,” an exec said. “It is probably a good mix for Mariota and Carr personality-wise. Marcus is not going to come in and cause problems. He will work and do his job. I do think there is a Gannon comparison and I think Jon has a knack for resurrecting those guys.”
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