Report: AFC West Team Eyes Mariota as Second QB Option

Raiders are said to be interested in a veteran complement to Derek Carr

Maybe Marcus Mariota can do unto another as was done unto him.

NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo reported Friday that the Las Vegas Raiders are likely to sign a veteran quarterback – someone like Mariota – to complement Derek Carr, or possibly even to compete with him.

Raiders general manager Mike Mayock was an NFL Network draft analyst in 2015 when the Tennessee Titans took the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner with the second overall pick. Mayock had Mariota rated as the best quarterback prospect in that draft and the fifth overall prospect.

On NFL NOW, @MikeGarafolo says the Raiders are interested in Mariota. Reports they are more likely to go after a veteran 1B backup like Mariota than Brady.

— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) March 6, 2020

Vegas has been consistently named among the potential contenders for New England’s Tom Brady, but, according to Garafolo, is not likely to make such a dramatic move.

Carr was a second-round pick by the Raiders in 2014 and has played – and started – all but two games for the franchise since that time. He set career-highs in completion percentage and passing yards each of the last two years. He completed 70.3 percent of his throws and threw for 4,054 yards in 2019.

Mariota was the Titans’ starting quarterback for each of his first four NFL seasons but lost the job to Ryan Tannehill after six games in 2019. Tennessee traded for Tannehill, then a seven-year veteran, last March with the idea that he would spend the season as Mariota’s backup.

Earlier reports have said that Mariota, who is 29-32 as a starter, will have interest from multiple teams when free agent negotiations begin in fewer than two weeks. It remains to be seen if any team wants him to be their starting quarterback or if what the Raiders offer is common.

Mariota has faced the Raiders three times in his career and is 0-3 with a 53.2 percent completion rate, three touchdown passes and four interceptions.