Las Vegas Raiders: Free agency grades for every signing thus far

Make no mistake, Marcus Mariota has not showed any signs of being the player the Tennessee Titans thought he’d be when they drafted him No. 2 overall in 2015. Having said that, the quarterback has also proven that he can be a steady hand that doesn’t turn the ball over. And there’s also the chance that putting him underneath an offensive mind such as Gruden could help him realize some of his missed potential.

Whether he serves as a backup to Derek Carr or usurps the current Raiders starter, Mariota is an upgrade for the Las Vegas offense. The former Titan also has an incentive-laden contract that could pay him up to $37.5 million if he does take the field and succeeds. When you take the totality of the situation into account, this is a high-upside move for the silver and black that involves little risk at all.

In all honesty, Nick Kwiatkoski may be an even better addition than Cory Littleton, even if the former Bear isn’t perceived as the same level of player. But when you consider the cheaper price tag for Kwiatkoski along with what he brings to the table, this is one of the crown jewels of the Raiders free agency class.

We’ve already covered the fact that the Raiders needed help at linebacker this offseason and they answered it, largely, with Kwiatkoski and Littleton. But the former fills a vastly different role than the more expensive cohort joining him in Sin City.

Kwiatkoski will be getting his first chance as a full-time starter with the Raiders but, his versatility as a run defender who is also a capable blitzer really adds value and makes him a nice complement to the coverage ability of Littleton. And again, at the price the Raiders got him, this could be their biggest addition in free agency.