After five seasons with the Tennessee Titans that culminated in him losing his starting job to Ryan Tannehill, Marcus Mariota is set to become a free agent this offseason.
The former No. 2 overall pick will undoubtedly be looking for a chance to start in 2020, so ideally he’ll be targeting teams that give him that chance right away.
Mariota could also look to teams that have a starter who is vulnerable, much like Mitchell Trubisky is in Chicago, although it’s a good bet that the Bears will at least give him the start of the season to make things right.
Targeting a team that has an injury-prone signal-caller will also be an option.
But there are some teams out there that could present the opportunity for Mariota to start from Week 1, and that’s likely where he’ll start his search for a new team.
Let’s take a look at four teams in particular that might have a job Mariota could compete for and win.
Los Angeles Chargers
With head coach Anthony Lynn hinting that Tyrod Taylor will be given the opportunity to start in 2020, the team may look to bring in another quarterback to compete for the job.
Taylor has had two different stints as a starter with both the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns during his career, both of which didn’t work out so well.
It remains to be seen if the Chargers will add a quarterback in the draft, but even if that happens Mariota could still compete with the rookie and Taylor and come away with the No. 1 spot on the depth chart.
Not only would the Chargers give Mariota the opportunity he’s looking for, but Los Angeles also has impressive weapons to work with, and the Oregon product would be closer to his alma mater and home state of Hawaii.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers are another team with a huge question mark under center.
The franchise might be looking to move on from Cam Newton this offseason in order to save a hefty sum of money, which could lead to Carolina looking for a new quarterback, whether that be in free agency, the draft, or both.
Kyle Allen failed to prove he was the long-term solution, and if the Panthers move on from both he and Newton, Will Grier would be the only signal-caller left standing.
A scenario in which Mariota battles it out with Grier, and quite possibly a rookie quarterback, sets up perfectly for No. 8 to come away with the starting spot for Week 1.
Having wide receivers like D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel, along with star running back Christian McCaffrey, could lead to a situation in which Mariota can thrive.
Indianapolis Colts
Depending on what the Colts do in free agency (there is speculation that Philip Rivers could be an option), Indy is set to go into the 2020 season with Jacoby Brissett under center once again.
That isn’t exactly an ideal situation for the Colts, a team that has an immensely talented roster on both sides of the ball but was held back by quarterback play in 2019.
Bringing in Mariota would make sense, as he could push Brissett and possibly take his job out of training camp.
Mariota would have a top-notch running game, a solid group of pass-catchers, and an elite offensive line to work behind.
A move to Indianapolis would no doubt be bittersweet for Titans fans. While they do wish him success, no Titans fan wants to see that happen at the expense of their own team.
New England Patriots
One of the ways Mariota could end up with the Pats is if Tom Brady decides to change his address to Tennessee. While I still think that Tannehill will be the Titans’ quarterback in 2020, Brady teaming up with his old teammate Mike Vrabel in Nashville isn’t out of the question.
Even if it isn’t with the Titans, Brady may decide to move on from the only team he’s ever known, which would leave a huge hole for head coach Bill Belichick to fill.
If there was ever an organization that can get Mariota on the right track, it’s the Pats.
Barring another signing, Mariota would be walking into a situation in which he’d be competing for a starting job with Jarrett Stidham, and that’s a competition Mariota should win easily.
As we learned in 2019, the Patriots have some work to do in terms of bringing in talent on offense, but having Josh McDaniels as his offensive coordinator isn’t a bad proposition for Mariota.
One of the last places any Titans fan wants to see Mariota end up is with the hated Patriots, but it’s a realistic possibility nonetheless, especially if Brady moves on.
