Denver Broncos 3 QB options if Aaron Rodgers plan fails in 2022
Denver Broncos option No. 3: Marcus Mariota
Of these three non-Aaron Rodgers options for the Denver Broncos, Marcus Mariota would be the only player that wouldn’t require a trade.
The former second overall pick is a free agent this offseason and after serving a couple of years as Derek Carr’s backup with the Las Vegas Raiders, Mariota may be ready once again for a starting role in the NFL.
At the very least, he deserves a chance to compete.
Broncos fans are not overly interested in a quarterback competition but perhaps Mariota can regain his once-promising form in Denver.
Mariota is an outstanding athlete with big-time speed, and although he had shown signs of regression and injury issues prior to being benched for Ryan Tannehill, there might be something here worth looking into.
The Broncos obviously brought Nathaniel Hackett and his staff into town to focus on player development and to set this team on a much more positive course offensively. With an offense-centric head coach and a strong staff, the possibility of Mariota has much more appeal now than it would have when Pat Shurmur was calling plays in Denver.
There was a year in Tennessee where Mariota crossed paths with Matt LaFleur, who obviously left to be the head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 2019.
It’s somewhat of an obscure connection, but given Mariota’s season with LaFleur and Hackett obviously working for LaFleur the past couple of seasons, there might be some carryover there.
Mariota’s physical skills and age are the biggest draw here, as well as the fact that the Broncos wouldn’t have to trade for him and he will probably cost way less than alternatives.