Eagles QB Marcus Mariota: Better Backup Fit Than Gardner Minshew?

MMQB had Marcus Mariota, the former second overall pick in the 2015 draft, ranked 11th on the list of backup quarterbacks, with former Philadelphia Eagles backup Gardner Minshew ranked third.

Jalen Hurts hasn’t been able to play an entire season in his first two years as the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles.

That’s not a knock on him, but just the reality of playing the position in the NFL these days. It’s difficult for most quarterbacks to remain injury-free for every single game, especially now that the season was extended to 17 games two years ago.

That’s what makes having an above-average quarterback so valuable.

Hurts missed one game with an ankle injury in 2021 then a shoulder injury cost him two starts in last year’s Super Bowl run.

Gardner Minshew stepped in and was OK, though he was 0-2 last year.

He went 1-0 in relief of Hurts in 2021 but lost the regular-season finale two years ago when he got the start because the Eagles had already clinched a playoff berth and played most of the backups.

Minshew is now entrenched in Indianapolis, replaced as Hurts’ backup by Marcus Mariota.

On paper, it appears to be an upgrade since Mariota and Hurts have some similar traits in terms of how they can run the RPO and be a threat running the ball.

The MMQB came out with its rankings of backup quarterbacks leading into the Memorial Day weekend and Minshew was ranked 11 spots higher than Mariota.

Mariota came in at No. 11, and Minshew at No. 3.

Only the Carolina Panthers’ Andy Dalton and Washington Commanders’ Jacoby Brissett were higher than Minshew.

In order behind Minshew before you get to Mariota were:

• Atlanta Falcons Taylor Heinicke

• New Orleans Saints Jameis Winston

• Dallas Cowboys Cooper Rush

• San Francisco 49ers Sam Darnold

• Baltimore Ravens Tyler Huntley

• Miami Dolphins Mike White

• Chicago Bears’ P.J. Walker

The 11th spot feels low compared to some ranked ahead of him, such as Winston and Darnold, and maybe others depending on how your point of view.

Mariota did not live up to expectations as the Falcons’ starter last year, completing less than 62 percent of his throws with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions as he went 5-8 in his 13 games as the starter.

Still, the Eagles’ new backup has a good relationship with the team’s quarterback coach, Alex Tanney, who was promoted into the position after Brian Johnson was elevated from QB coach to offensive coordinator.

Mariota and Tanney played together in Tennessee, where Mariota was the second player taken overall in the 2015 draft ad Tanney was his backup.

“Obviously I have a great relationship with him,” Tanney said. “Spent three years with him Tennessee when he got drafted there. He still calls me Sticks half the time. I was No. 11 and that was always my nickname. I’m fine with that. I don’t really care.”

Given that relationship and a skill set similar to Hurts, Mariota would seem to be a better backup fit for the Eagles than Minshew regardless of how the MMQB rankings shake out.

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Ed Kracz covers the Philadelphia Eagles for SI's EaglesToday.

Please follow him and our Eagles coverage on Twitter at @kracze.

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