The Denver Broncos are scheduled to steal a quarterback from the Las Vegas Raiders in the next off-season – but his name is not Derek Carr.
In his vision of the Broncos in 2021, Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr suggested hiring Raiders’ second stringer Marcus Mariota as an “out of the box idea” to “fix” a franchise that hasn’t sniffed the postseason in half a decade.
“Sign Marcus Mariota and leave your options open in the quarterback,” wrote Orr. “I think that Mariota’s performance in Thursday night football a week ago it signaled that the modern NFL has finally aligned itself with the skills it brought to recruitment in 2015. While he may have an early opportunity elsewhere, I love the idea of Mariota legitimately pressing Lock at camp. This does not mean that Lock needs to be challenged a la Mitch Trubisky, but Fangio will need to reinforce the position, as the third year could turn into a proposal of success or failure for him. ”
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Most know Mariota’s curriculum. The former Oregon star and Heisman Trophy winner became famous in Tennessee, where he spent his first five professional seasons, before taking his talents to Las Vegas. Mariota struck a $ 17.6 million free agent deal for two years last March to serve as Carr’s reserve.
Buried in obscurity, Mariota resurfaced (temporary?) Relevance in Week 15, when he replaced Carr wounded against the Chargers. Mariota was brilliant, completing 17 of 28 passes for 226 yards, a touchdown and an interception, adding up to 88 running yards and a score in nine charged. On full display was the double threat ability he hadn’t shown since college, the skill that made him runner-up in the draft.
A flash in the pan? Possibly. However, performance certainly increased Mariota’s shares incrementally, and assuming that Raiders give up their business – otherwise, only available via negotiation – the 27-year-old can be greeted by a warmer market than many anticipate.
If this market extends to the State of the Centenary, it is another story. It is a question that not even the Broncos can answer, as they remain in Lock’s assessment mode for the final two games.
But it is also a question that Lock received, and will continue to receive, unless or until he becomes The guy.
“The quarterback is the most important position on the pitch and everyone wants to talk about it,” said Lock on Wednesday. “Everyone thinks they can play better than what they’re seeing on TV, so it’s just an easy position for people to talk and gossip. It is what it is when you play in this position. I’m looking forward to going out and making another statement this week that I should be the guy here and keep winning. I try to beat those last two and then just show what I can do. I believe I am the guy here. With progress over time with this offense and hopefully getting another year on the same offensive, the sky is the limit for us as a young team. We learned a lot this year. We will continue to learn and make moves and, hopefully, win the last two and look forward to going to the next season. “
Mariota is under contract in Vegas in 2021, so it would take an exchange between two rivals from AFC West to place him in Denver.
Follow Zack on Twitter @KelbermanNFL and @MileHighHuddle