If there wasn’t enough uncertainty already swirling around the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback situation, a little more was added on Monday afternoon.
According to Ben Standig of The Athletic, the Eagles are being linked to Las Vegas Raiders backup quarterback, Marcus Mariota.
“While Philadelphia wouldn’t seem like an obvious landing spot — Jalen Hurts remains, and Mariota and Carson Wentz are repped by the same agency — one prominent league source said to keep an eye on the Eagles if Mariota is traded or released,” Standig wrote.
Mariota is signed through the 2021 season in Las Vegas, but his future with the organization remains unclear as he looks to get back toward a starting role.
The 28-year-old was the second-overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Oregon by the Tennessee Titans where he was initially slated to be the franchise’s quarterback of the future.
But Mariota struggled in the pros, both with performance and injuries. He never played a full 16 games in a single season, averaging 12 games per year with 62.9% completion rating, 2,641 yards, 15 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
With the Raiders last season, he appeared in one game, completing 17-of-28 passes for 226 yards, one touchdown, and one interception as the Raiders fell to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.
Given his track record, Mariota isn’t necessarily being viewed as a primary option that the Eagles could explore.
After trading away Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts, Jalen Hurts is currently poised to take over as the team’s No. 1 man under center.
However, the Eagles hold the No. 6 pick in the 2021 draft where the likes of Ohio State’s Justin Wilson or North Dakota State’s Trey Lance could be available for the taking.
Should the Eagles whiff on a quarterback of their choice at the draft and the rest of the market has dried up, the prospects of bringing on Mariota drastically improve.
