New England Patriots Rumors: Signing Marcus Mariota would be a waste
By Max Bozicas
If Tom Brady decides to play for a different franchise, the New England Patriots would reportedly be interested in former Tennessee Titans QB Marcus Mariota.
The Tom Brady and New England Patriots offseason saga has reached a new level of monotony.
Every day there are conflicting reports as to what Brady’s intentions are in free agency. Perhaps the thing that is being glossed over is that the Patriots are actively seeking out potential replacements at quarterback, and the most recent name that has come up is Marcus Mariota.
Mariota might honestly be the least appealing option for the Patriots, and that is saying a lot. Mariota started the season for the Tennessee Titans in 2019, but completed just 59.4 percent of his passes while averaging a paltry 171.9 passing yards per game.
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The offense for the Titans was mostly stagnant with Mariota as the starter. His poor performance would result in him getting benched for Ryan Tannehill after the team fell to 2-4.
Tannehill proceeded to play at a very high level and helped the Titans reach the playoffs.
That spelt the end for Mariota’s time in Tennessee. Now an unrestricted free agent, Mariota will have a few suitors but not many that are willing to give him a starting job.
One of the only teams that might is the New England Patriots, and that seems to be out of desperation.
It’s not exactly fair to say that there is no upside in signing Marcus Mariota.
He’s only 26-years-old with intriguing athleticism. However, Mariota’s mobility doesn’t make up for his deficiencies as a passer, so he is not a fit unless the Patriots are willing to heavily alter their system on offense.
Even if the New England Patriots do want to build around a more mobile quarterback in the post-Brady era, there are more interesting guys out there than Mariota. They could grab someone like Jalen Hurts in the NFL draft. If they want to make a high-risk, high-reward move then they could pursue Taysom Hill.
The point is, you probably already know what you’re getting with Marcus Mariota. It’s hard to see the Patriots succeeding as they are currently constructed with Mariota at quarterback. They would need to significantly upgrade the offense to help mask his weaknesses while also maintaining an elite defense in order to make a playoff run. It’s not completely impossible but there is probably an easier path.
Prepare for life without Tom Brady. dark. Next
Should Tom Brady not re-sign with the New England Patriots, there are better candidates out there for them to go after in order to take over the reigns.
Personally, I would rather them take the risk of signing or drafting someone with less of a sample size than picking up Marcus Mariota given the likelihood that his mediocre play won’t improve.