Only a few years after winning the Heisman trophy in college enjoying a promising start to his NFL, Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota seems like an afterthought. Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, lost his starting job to Ryan Tannehill this season. With how well Tannehill has played for the Titans, Mariota's time as a legitimate starter in the league may be numbered, and the New England Patriots could be an intriguing option.
With that being said, Mariota has shown at times that, when healthy, he can be a solid talent. Obviously injuries are and probably always will be a concern when it comes to the former Oregon star, but sometimes teams have to weigh the risks and rewards and pull the trigger.
Although Tom Brady has stated that he is unlikely to retire after this season, there's still the fact that Brady will be 43 years old by the time next season rolls around. With the right weapons, Brady can still be a top quarterback in the league, but of course, that's a big if and the Tom Brady era can't last forever.
The former No. 2 overall pick is set to become a free agent this offseason. If the Titans decide to lean in on the Tannehill era, the Patriots should certainly take a look at Mariota.
On the Patriots roster, Cody Kessler will likely never be more than a backup and 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham, while full of potential, doesn't quite seem ready to lead a franchise.
It's possible that the Patriots draft a quarterback this year or go out and sign a veteran, even if Brady decides to stay. Still, there's really not many options out there with more potential than Mariota.
Just take a quick look at how the Patriots developed Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett and the thought of Mariota in a Patriots jersey becomes a lot more appealing.
Mariota's value has pretty much tanked his value in the last few years so it's unlikely that New England would have to pay top dollar for him. The Patriots wouldn't need him to start so he could spend more time focusing on getting completely healthy — something he hasn't been in quite some time. Even if he were asked to start for whatever reason, it's likely a better option than anyone else on the roster or available in free agency.
Mariota has Pro Bowl level talent and if I were to bet on any coach unlocking that potential, it would be Bill Belichick 10 times out of 10. Not to mention Brady being an excellent mentor for a quarterback who just turned 26 years old.
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