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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers recently announced they had exercised the fifth-year option on quarterback Jameis Winston, the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. And now, it’s the No. 2 pick Marcus Mariota’s turn to get his option picked up.
Titans general manager Jon Robinson confirmed that the team does intend to exercise the fifth-year option on their young quarterback.
Jon Robinson on @Midday180: We are planning on exercising Marcus Mariota's fifth-year option. #Titans
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) April 18, 2018
Mariota, who is set to earn a base salary of $705,000 in Year 4 of his deal this upcoming season, is scheduled to get close to $21 million when that option kicks in in 2019.
This move should come as no surprise to anyone. Mariota has shown flashes of being the franchise quarterback the Titans were hoping to get when they picked him that high in the draft. He was particularly impressive in 2016, when he threw for 3,426 yards with 26 touchdowns and just nine interceptions.
Mariota took a significant step back last year as he had just 13 touchdowns against 15 interceptions. Although, his regression may have a lot to do with the offensive system the team was running last season, which did not really play to his strengths.
The Titans front office has since tried to remedy that situation by bringing in a new coaching staff with head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur. It’s widely expected that they will implement a spread-based system more suited to what Mariota does best.
If Mariota can take his game to another level in that new system next season as the Titans hope, then it may just be a matter of time before he lands himself a long-term extension that will keep him in Tennessee well beyond 2019.
