The Raiders brought in Marcus Mariota to be a legitimate backup to Derek Carr in 2020, and he has been impressing his teammates, and coaching staff so far.
Since taking over as the Raiders starting quarterback as a rookie in 2014, Derek Carr has really never had to look over his shoulder. After winning the job from Matt Schaub, Carr has been the face of the franchise, setting numerous career records, and leading the team to their first playoff appearance since 2002.
Unfortunately, he has also had to deal with a number of head coaches and offensive coordinators, while also having a revolving door at wide receiver. Since Jon Gruden took over as head coach for the 2018 NFL season, he has finally gotten some stability, and that has led to him being the first Raiders quarterback to throw for over 4,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
Still, there are fans out there that are clamoring for the team to make a move, and this offseason, the organization definitely upgraded the position group behind him. Mike Mayock signed former Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota to back up Carr in 2020, and he has the skill set Gruden loves in a quarterback.
So far, he has been impressive, and that is only a good thing for both Carr, and the Raiders.
QB Marcus Mariota shining early for the Las Vegas Raiders
Mariota is an incredibly smart quarterback
It is really no big surprise that Mariota is catching on quickly with the Silver and Black, as he is widely considered a brilliant football mind. We all know that Gruden’s offense is a tough one to run, and if you want some proof, go to YouTube and look up a young Chris Simms trying to call a play in the huddle during Gruden’s time in Tampa Bay.
For Mariota to catch on so quickly, especially during a preseason going on in a pandemic, is perfect for what the Raiders want to do. They want him to come in and challenge Carr, making Carr the best possible version of himself, while also helping resurrect Mariota’s career.
Gruden credits Mariota and Carr
Jon Gruden spoke out about Mariota’s impressive time with the Raiders this week, and said told reporters on a conference call that being in the same room as Carr certainly helps.
"“It’s been impressive,” Gruden said about Mariota’s understanding of the playbook. “I think being and being in the same chat room with Derek Carr every day has really helped him. Derek is very advanced and very quick mentally. Marcus is as well, he’s learned it really fast and he’s applied it here in the past couple days.”"
Carr is another extremely smart football guy, and is respected by his teammates and coaches alike. The expectation is that with all the new weapons added this offseason, Carr can bring this team back to the playoffs, but if he falters, at least there is a serviceable quarterback waiting in the wings.
The Raiders made it a point to upgrade all position groups this offseason, and quarterback was no different. In Mariota, they are getting a guy who has proven he can win in this league, even against Kansas City on the road in the playoffs, and his arrival is a win for the team, the fan base, and Carr.