Quarterback will again be a position to watch closely this offseason for the Raiders. With the much of the team’s new coaching staff in place, one veteran name has emerged as a free agent option. 
“There could be a little bit of interest in Marcus Mariota between the Raiders and Dolphins,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during a Pat McAfee Show appearance (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). “He’s gonna have some choices this offseason.”
Mariota’s relationship with Tua Tagovailoa is a factor which could make him a Dolphins target. Miami is aiming to acquire a high-floor backup, and the 31-year-old would meet that criteria. Mariota has 93 appearances and 74 starts to his name, although his last run of first-team action came with the Falcons in 2022.
In the event he were to return to the Raiders (after playing there from 2020-21) , the Oregon product could be an option to compete for bridge starter duties depending on how the team operates in the draft. A Vegas deal would represent a reunion with Chip Kelly, who coached Mariota in 2012 and is now back in the NFL as the Raiders’ offensive coordinator. The team will of course have other options to consider, though.
With the second-most projected 2025 cap space in the league, the Raiders will have the wherewithal to win a potential bidding war for the top passers in this year’s free agent class. Sam Darnold is therefore a name to watch, as is Russell Wilson since he and head coach Pete Carroll are once again on good terms. Vegas currently holds the No. 6 pick in April’s draft, which may put the team in range for a first-round QB.
Even if a young passer is added on Day 1 of the draft (or later), Mariota could be signed as competition or a veteran capable of handling QB1 duties while a rookie develops. As things stand, Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell are in place for the Raiders; the new regime led by Carroll and general manager John Spytek could very well make one or more changes to that room over the coming months, however.