The Falcons signed Marcus Mariota last offseason to a two-year deal that was structured in a way that moving off the veteran quarterback this offseason would be financially feasible.
The opportunity was to be a stopgap option as Atlanta searched for a franchise signal caller. During his 13 starts, Mariota’s play was tumultuous; there were bright moments and not so bright ones. He threw for 2,219 yards and 15 touchdowns against just nine interceptions on 61.3% passing. Ultimately, he fell out of favor with the coaching staff and was benched for the rookie Desmond Ridder.
The Falcons moved off of him this week to save $12 million against the cap, and Marcus Mariota is back on the open market. Here are some possible free agent landing spots:
Green Bay Packers
The Packers could elect to bring Aaron Rodgers back, but if they don’t, a veteran backup for Jordan Love makes sense. Marcus Mariota has ties to Matt LaFleur, as the pair shared time in Tennessee when he was the Titans’ offensive coordinator. He also won’t break the bank.
Kansas City Chiefs
When a team aims for a Super Bowl, which the Chiefs are every season, there is value in having a high-quality backup. If Patrick Mahomes goes down for a couple of weeks, it will behoove Kansas City to have a capable backup to weather the storm. Marcus Mariota is in the same conversation as Jacoby Brissett in that case. Chad Henne is retired and proved during his tenure with the Chiefs that a competent backup is extremely beneficial. Mariota has experience as a starter in the postseason too, so this could be an interesting match.
Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott is the starter in Dallas; these are all similar scenarios because I don’t think Marcus Mariota is a starter in this league. However, Prescott missed extensive time in 2022, in which Cooper Rush took over and won the next four games. He threw for 1,051 passing yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions while posting an 80.0 quarterback rating in the absence of Prescott. Rush and Mariota are both 29 years old and have similar skill sets, though the latter is more athletic.
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Photographer: Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire
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