Tennessee Titans QB Marcus Mariota
We are five years removed from Marcus Mariota winning the Heisman Trophy at Oregon and becoming the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. Mariota has played four years in the NFL and is now playing on his fifth-year option. Yet, after four seasons nobody is sure if Mariota is a franchise passer or just another guy. There have been flashes of brilliance, but a lot of inconsistency. It hasn’t all been on him. Injuries, lack of supporting talent, and terrible play-callers have stunted Mariota’s growth. There are no more excuses for him though, this needs to be the season he puts it all together or he could be on his way out of Tennessee.
Mariota came into the league hot. In his first two seasons, he threw for 45 touchdowns to 19 interceptions, but in the two seasons since, then he’s thrown just 24 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. The inconsistency on the field is a direct result of the lack of play-makers and poor play-calling he has dealt with in his career. Mariota isn’t a top 10 QB, but he’s got the tools to be a franchise guy. When everything is clicking, Mariota is one of the most accurate passers in the AFC South and NFL. Getting stability in play-calling, consistent protection, and quality pass catchers for a full season will give a true idea of how high Mariota’s ceiling is and if he’s worth a long-term contract.
It’s going to be interesting to see what happens if Mariota hits the open market. If Tennessee lets him go to free agency that means he didn’t produce like a franchise QB, but he’s likely still worth starter money. It’s hard for a team like Tennessee to let a talented QB like Mariota go. They finally have their head coach in place, a talented group of offensive play-makers, and a strong young defensive core. It’s more of a gamble to let Mariota go than to pay him franchise QB money. He’s still only 25 and has shown he has the tools to be the leader of the Titans. Giving him over $20 million per season seems like the move, but this season will be the test.
Titans 2020 predicted cap space: $48.17 million
Predicted contract: 5 years, $110 million with Titans ($22M AAV)
Rob Paul is an AFC South writer for Pro Football Network. You can follow him on Twitter @RobPaulNFL.