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Marcus Mariota is one of the more intriguing NFL free agents this offseason and could fit with any number of teams.
This is a very strange offseason when it comes to the quarterback free agency market. It’s extremely rare to find even one starting-caliber quarterback available to sign outright. However, this offseason features several options, including Marcus Mariota.
While Mariota can’t match the success of someone like Philip Rivers or Teddy Bridgewater, he does bring a level of both experience and upside.
Mariota will enter the season at the age of 26 with a total of 61 NFL starts under his belt. His overall success has been limited, but there are some circumstances that played into his struggles. One of the biggest factors was the instability of his offensive coaching staff.
Some of the better potential landing spots on this list would provide a more stable environment.
5. New England Patriots
The Patriots may ultimately keep Tom Brady around for a while, but even if he stays, Mariota could benefit from working behind him and within such a stable organization. We’ve seen quarterbacks like Bridgewater benefit from sitting behind a veteran star and rebuild their value.
Signing with the Patriots has the potential to be more than just a short-term stop. New England knows that Brady can’t play forever, and he could be leaving in free agency. They could bring the 26-year old Mariota in to be his replacement.
New England’s current roster lacks a great option as the future of the quarterback position. They’ll likely need to an early-round draft pick to address this issue if they don’t land someone like Mariota.