Las Vegas Raiders Marcus Mariota ranked in top-10 of backup QBs
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders have an actual backup quarterback in 2020, as Marcus Mariota will be the guy to step in if Derek Carr is injured, or falters.
Since taking over as the starting quarterback for the Raiders franchise to open his rookie season, Derek Carr has not really had any competition behind him. Sure, guys like Nathan Peterman are fun to watch in the preseason, but the 2020 season will bring a No. 2 quarterback who can actually push Carr.
In fact, Mariota has gotten some solid reviews early on in camp, and while some are already clamoring for him to unseat Carr, that is not going to happen any time soon, if ever. Carr is fully entrenched as the starter in Las Vegas, but it is good to have a solid backup like Marcus Mariota just in case.
Mariota ranked the No. 8 backup quarterback in the NFL
NFL.com recently ranked all 32 backup quarterbacks in the NFL, and the Raiders No. 2 guy fell in at No. 8 overall. Mariota is a former Heisman Trophy winner at Oregon, and has played in some big games in his NFL career, but played his way out of the starting job in Tennessee, a team that Ryan Tannehill then led to the AFC title game.
With the Raiders, he will have to learn a very complicated offense, and he is still trying to get back to being 100 percent healthy. Sure, he has made some nice plays in camp, but there has also been some bad, which is understandable considering the circumstances due to him being in Jon Gruden’s offense for the first time, and there being a pandemic.
The other great thing about Mariota’s arrival is that it should bring out the best in Carr, who has put together two solid seasons under Gruden, but was booed out of the Coliseum last season. Gruden wants him to do more with his feet, and having someone who has that skill set behind him could push him to add that back into his game.
Next. Las Vegas Raiders rookie Bryan Edwards named the team’s X-Factor in 2020. dark
General manager Mike Mayock had gone on the record and stated he was trying to upgrade every position group in 2020, and he definitely did that by adding Mariota. This guy can make plays with his arm, and his feet, and it is reassuring to know that if Carr does get injured, or is ineffective, a guy who has beaten the Kansas City Chiefs on the road in the playoffs will take over.