Raiders: 4 potential free agent replacements for Marcus Mariota
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders likely will not bring Marcus Mariota back to the fold in 2022, so which veteran free agents could they bring in to fill that road.
Over the past two seasons, the Las Vegas Raiders have had the luxury of having Marcus Mariota as their backup quarterback to Derek Carr. A former Heisman Trophy winner, and top-2 pick, Mariota was used sparingly during his time with the Raiders, but still served a significant purpose as the backup, and within the offense late in the 2021 season.
Now, with Mariota likely looking for a starting job elsewhere and finishing up his current contract, the Raiders are not likely to bring him back in 2022. That means that not only will Mariota be trying to find a new home, especially with a chance to start in 2022, but the Raiders will be in the market for someone to back up Carr.
While Nathan Peterman is a fan favorite of some to step into that QB2 role, he is not a realistic choice, and with Jon Gruden gone, won’t be the No. 2 QB in 2022. There are some veterans available who make a lot of sense in that role, including some younger players, as well as guys who have been with Josh McDaniels before.
Here, we look at four potential free-agent replacements for Mariota.