The offseason has begun for all NFL teams, aside from the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, who will appear in Super Bowl LIV.
The other 30 squads have some important decisions to make, with the quarterback position relatively high up on the priority list for several.
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota will be hoping to restart his career outside of the Nashville, where he’s played since being selected with the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Here’s a look at five places that serve as plausible landing spots.
1. Chicago Bears.
We’ve seen Mariota connected to this team several times throughout the past.
Mitchell Trubisky is set to remain the starter, despite a disappointing 2019 season.
The chances of Trubisky ultimately panning out are far from certain, and the Bears could find themselves in the market for a quarterback sooner rather than later.
Chicago could do itself a favor this offseason and bring Mariota on as a backup to start and see where things go.
2. New England Patriots.
There’s still no clear indication as to whether or not Tom Brady will return next season, and even if he does, there’s hardly another better for Mariota to learn from if he remains a backup.
Mariota is a sure upgrade over the likes of Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler, and the Patriots likely won’t draft a quarterback in the early rounds.
3. New Orleans Saints.
Drew Brees isn’t going anywhere, but he isn’t getting any younger, either.
The Saints need to start looking ahead for their next candidate to replace the 41-year old.
Do-everything quarterback Taysom Hill may be versatile, but there are better options for the long-term, and Teddy Bridgewater isn’t expected to return to New Orleans for the 2020 season.
Mariota hasn’t really had a solid quarterback mentor in the NFL to this point, and Brees could serve as just that if the Saints bring him on this year.
4. Denver Broncos.
Mariota was benched in Week 6’s loss to the Broncos in favor of Ryan Tannehill, but he could serve as a viable option on the opposite sideline the next time the two teams face each other.
The Broncos seem to think they’ve found their guy in Drew Lock — but let’s face it, the quarterback position in Denver has practically been in shambles since Peyton Manning left.
If Lock doesn’t end up being who the team is hoping for in the long run, Mariota could be the next man up.
5. Indianapolis Colts.
Staying in the AFC South is very much a possibility for Mariota.
Jacoby Brissett has been underwhelming overall since Andrew Luck announced his retirement ahead of the 2019 season, and GM Chris Ballard isn’t committing to him as the team’s starter next season.
Mariota could give Brissett a run for his money in Indianapolis for the starting position.
