The contract details have finally arrived for the Raiders and Marcus Mariota. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the max value of Mariota’s two-year deal is $47.5 million. While the base salary is less than $9 million per season, the Raiders clearly are giving Mariota the opportunity to be paid well if he plays and performs at a high level.
How likely is Mariota to earn each incentive? Here is a good breakdown of what Mariota would need to do to earn the max value of his contract, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo:
Mariota gets up to $2.4 million if he plays 60% of the snaps in 2020. Another $1.5m is available in per-game playing time and win incentives. Has $10m in those incentives available in 2021. Also $2 million in playoff/Super Bowl incentives each year + $12m in 2021 salary escalator
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 23, 2020
The former second-overall pick comes to Las Vegas, offering a new option at quarterback. Whether that means as a replacement for Derek Carr, competition for Carr, or the backup to Carr remains to be seen. But he gives the team that option.
It also gives them insurance should they have their eye on one of the quarterbacks in the draft and that quarterback doesn’t get to them when they want to take him.
Many see Mariota as nothing more than a backup simply because he was benched last season in favor of Ryan Tannehill. But Mariota also had five offensive coordinators in five NFL seasons. It’s the same thing we all gave Carr a pass on several times. Carr has twice had the same OC in consecutive seasons — 2016 and 2019.
That 2016 season was the best for both Mariota and Carr. What connects them is that both of them broke their legs ON THE SAME DAY.
This deal makes him a legit competitor for Carr’s job. The first legit competition the Raiders have brought in during his tenure.
[vertical-gallery id=62676]
[lawrence-newsletter]