Just a reminder: Marcus Mariota has a lot of NFL football left in his tank.
The former Oregon standout is just 27 years old and still has the cannon arm that got scouts enamored.
But losing the starting quarterback role is his undoing.
He wasn’t able to play at par with the great one, hence he lost his job to Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee.
There’s no way Mariota will be put in front of Derek Carr on the Las Vegas Raiders depth chart, especially after a solid season from the latter.
Head coach Jon Gruden tinkered with the idea of having Mariota as his starter.
That doesn’t make sense after Carr threw for 4,103 yards and 27 touchdowns.
However, the Hawaii native remains an intriguing asset due to his youth and his skill-set.
If he becomes available for a trade, here are three squads that must strike a deal with the Raiders.
3. New York Giants
Daniel Jones remains the starter for Big Blue, but for how long?
This will be a make-or-break year for him, especially with an upgraded receiving unit.
He must be able to do wonders with Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, and Evan Engram if he is to keep his job.
If he doesn’t, there’s a real chance for Mike Glennon to take over.
But how much does the organization believe in him being their savior?
Has Daniel Jones ever seen Joe Judge as angry as he was after today's brawl at practice?
"He can get excited, guys certainly got the message today" pic.twitter.com/01zlbUu1QE
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) August 3, 2021
Therefore, the New York Giants must acquire Mariota to have a quarterback who can easily throw the ball downfield.
Having him around will also put pressure on Jones to perform better.
It is a win-win situation for the squad if he responds positively to the challenge.
Otherwise, Joe Judge will still have an agile and able quarterback ready to replace the former Duke Blue Devil.
Without a dependable quarterback, the Giants can’t snatch the NFC East title.
2. Washington Football Team
Washington’s quarterback situation is a mirage.
Alex Smith is not with the team anymore, and Ryan Fitzpatrick is the projected starter.
But while “Fitz Magic” does have the experience, can he sustain solid performances all season long?
It seems like he’s more comfortable coming off the bench rather than being the starter.
Meanwhile, Taylor Heinicke did well during their Wild Card loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Yet the small sample size of his production makes head coach Ron Rivera cautious.
Fitzpatrick can be a few bad showings away from being replaced.
So is Heinicke who might lose his job to Kyle Allen if he doesn’t play well.
Why not bring in Mariota instead to stabilize the situation?
Let him fight for the starting quarterback role.
If he wins the job, good for him and for the organization because at least there’s a better option under center.
1. Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan is 36 years old and he may only have a few seasons left.
His current back-up, A.J. McCarron, is six years younger but doesn’t have starting quarterback experience.
Matt Ryan and Kyle Pitts working on that red zone connection 😍
(🎥 @AtlantaFalcons)pic.twitter.com/wxLD9NMWTl
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) August 9, 2021
Mariota can step in and be Ryan’s understudy.
Once Matty Ice hangs up his cleats, Mariota can take over.
The Atlanta Falcons are in good fortune if he does well.
It’s also a nice predicament for Mariota because he might be up for a lucrative contract extension.
Otherwise, he can still be an able placeholder until they draft another quarterback.
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