In the 2021 offseason, there was speculation surrounding Marcus Mariota, but in the end, he remained with the Las Vegas Raiders. After a 2022 season where Mariota had some nice moments, everyone’s wondering if he’ll be replaced this offseason.
The common thread you’ll see with these options is that they’re all familiar with new Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels. That’s not a knock on Mariota; rather, it’s more indicative of the fact that No. 8 might be too expensive of a commodity for the Silver and Black. Also, these quarterbacks are familiar with McDaniels’ offense, and that can only help both Derek Carr and the defense as far as preparation goes.
Three quarterback targets the Raiders should be considering…
Jacoby Brissett
A quarterback with experience under McDaniels, Brissett also has experience as a backup in recent times. While spending time with the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins over the last two seasons, he has made just five starts. All of those came to the relief of the injured Tua Tagovailoa in 2021. Under McDaniels, Brissett threw for 400 yards over two games in 2016. Once considered a potential long-term starter, Brissett has found a niche as a backup quarterback who can give a team solid play in case of injury. His connection with McDaniels could earn him a spot in Las Vegas.
Cam Newton
A shell of what he once was, Newton is a perfectly fine backup quarterback at this point. Moreover, McDaniels coached him throughout the 2020 season in New England. During that time, the passing numbers were poor, with 2,657 yards and just eight touchdowns against ten interceptions. His arm had significantly regressed due to injuries and age. While this is still the case, he can still be effective as a runner. In that same offense under McDaniels in New England, Newton had 592 yards rushing and twelve touchdowns. If the Raiders are interested in a continuation of the “Mariota Package,” Newton can do that.
Brian Hoyer
Perhaps the most likely of any passer on this list, Hoyer is quite familiar with McDaniels. Spending time in New England off and on with him since 2017, Hoyer has spent a lot of time studying the offense. While the hope would be that he never has to play, he could be invaluable in getting Carr up to speed in an offense that is notoriously difficult to grasp. At 36 years old, Hoyer is likely just looking for a job with some familiarity. Why not move out west with a coach he already knows and help mentor Carr?
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*Top Photo: Adam Glanzman/Getty Images