Marcus Mariota will man the backup quarterback job for the Las Vegas Raiders for one more season. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Mariota opted against hitting the free agency and will instead take a significant pay cut to stay with the organization.
Mariota signed a two-year, $17.6 million contract with the Raiders last year and was set to count close to $11 million against the cap this season. Considering the lower salary cap in 2021, the Raiders offered the 27-year-old player to take less money or risk being released.
Reportedly, Mariota was initially willing to take the risk but changed his mind after taking a better look at his potential market. The new agreement will earn him $3.5 million guaranteed, although he could push his total earnings to $8 million based on incentives.
It is safe to say that the Raiders got a great deal, maintaining a quality QB that can step in at any moment if something happens to starter Derek Carr. Mariota, on the other hand, gets one more year to rebuild his reputation and possibly a chance to pursue a bigger role in 2022.
Mariota got to play just one game in 2020, stepping in after Carr injured his groin in Week 15 matchup against LA Chargers. He finished the game with 226 passing yards and one passing touchdown while also rushing for 88 yards and one score.
Before joining the Raiders, Mariota spent five years with the Tennessee Titans. He completed 62.9 percent of his passes in Titans’ jersey while throwing for 13,207 yards and 76 TDs.
