Mariota is exceptional and he must be extended

[code]

Just wanted to put a fair and balanced opposing title to Oman's terrible and must be replaced.

 

Felt the universe calling and responded.

 

Do I truly feel this way? Ask me at the end of the season.

[tgo]

I keep asking myself if I'd rather take a chance with some young gunslinger like Mayfield or Stafford (or a Fitzpatrick or Winston who gives the ball to the other team but isn't tentative with the football) losing games for us or someone like Mariota who just handles the ball and haven't come up with an answer. 

 

Obviously you'd rather have a Brees or Brady who can make up for mistakes, but that's extraordinarily rare obviously. 

 

I know Mariota is not a good passer and never will be, but he also seems to really protect the football. 

 

I'd almost rather have someone like Mariota than a mid tier guy prone to turnovers in a way. I also think his intangibles are under-rated. Obviously you want to find a Mahommes or Brady or Roethlisberger. But short of that, maybe you're better off with a Mariota or Alex Smith with a defensive and run game oriented team.  

 

The big question is going to be do you sign Tannehill to a modest starter deal for a year and then try to trade up to get Fromm or Herbert, or do you give Mariota some kind of Blake Bortles-esque extension and try to win now.

 

I guess we'll wait and see how the season goes. 

Edited September 9, 2019 by tgo

[Tomachek]

If he continues to win us games, and gets us a playoff berth than he definitely deserves some sort of extension.  Let's not forget hes 25-17 (not including his rookie year) as a starter.  I would still be weary of giving him anything long term with his injury history.

[Titans279]

If Mariota stays healthy and the team is winning (particularly if we win the division and/or win playoff game(s)) I could see the team doing a Blake Bortles like extension. I think Bortles is a pretty apt comparison at this point.

 

Maybe it'll change since we have shown we try to vary the game plans week-to-week but right now they're using him as a game manager. That doesn't really make him exceptional. However, given you have a limited stock to pick from in FA and the immense cost of trading up for a rookie they might decided to roll with the game manager.

 

I think people are too bullish on how easy it is to get a game manger like performance from a rookie QB. Have you watched any rookie QBs recently?

[tgo]

1 minute ago, Titans279 said:

If Mariota stays healthy and the team is winning (particularly if we win the division and/or win playoff game(s)) I could see the team doing a Blake Bortles like extension. I think Bortles is a pretty apt comparison at this point.

 

Maybe it'll change since we have shown we try to vary the game plans week-to-week but right now they're using him as a game manager. That doesn't really make him exceptional. However, given you have a limited stock to pick from in FA and the immense cost of trading up for a rookie they might decided to roll with the game manager.

 

I think people are too bullish on how easy it is to get a game manger like performance from a rookie QB. Have you watched any rookie QBs recently?

Exactly. Huge risk. 

[cenj]

10 minutes ago, tgo said:

I keep asking myself if I'd rather take a chance with some young gunslinger like Mayfield or Stafford (or a Fitzpatrick or Winston who gives the ball to the other team but isn't tentative with the football) losing games for us or someone like Mariota who just handles the ball and haven't come up with an answer. 

There are two major problems though: injury risk, and money. 

 

If Mariota was durable and always ready, that would help his case. And if he cost a reasonable salary, maybe you just pay him. But he's not durable at all (which limits his athletic ability and dual threat), and he's going to cost a ton of money to re-sign. 

[XAEA12]

Also remember Mariota is still young at 25 vs a guy like Mayfield who is 24 as an example. Considering his circumstances early in his career he could improve. I know it seems ages ago but there were times when he looked really good.

 

I think we are in the perfect scenario. This year he has things set up for him like never before. Best talent he's had and most stable coaching situation, not perfect but above average scenarios for him. He will show who he is before his rookie deal is up. He will get exposed one way or the other this year.

[tgo]

4 minutes ago, cenj said:

There are two major problems though: injury risk, and money. 

 

If Mariota was durable and always ready, that would help his case. And if he cost a reasonable salary, maybe you just pay him. But he's not durable at all (which limits his athletic ability and dual threat), and he's going to cost a ton of money to re-sign. 

I really don't think he'll cost a *ton* of money to re-sign. I thought previously that he'd draw a similar deal to the higher tier deals but he's a backup on most teams, I think he can be had for less than the tag. His agent would jump on a deal like that with a bunch of guaranteed money up front I bet. 

[tgo]

4 minutes ago, newschool said:

Also remember Mariota is still young at 25 vs a guy like Mayfield who is 24 as an example. Considering his circumstances early in his career he could improve. I know it seems ages ago but there were times when he looked really good.

 

I think we are in the perfect scenario. This year he has things set up for him like never before. Best talent he's had and most stable coaching situation, not perfect but above average scenarios for him. He will show who he is before his rookie deal is up. He will get exposed one way or the other this year.

He's already getting exposed, we saw some of it yesterday and he's already showed who he is. 

 

But yes, obviously he could still slightly improve but any passing improvement will be marginal. I expect him to perform better in the passing game with the return of Lewan with him getting more time in the pocket, but that would end up being more about the line and less about him. 

Edited September 9, 2019 by tgo

[oldschool]

1 minute ago, tgo said:

I really don't think he'll cost a *ton* of money to re-sign. I thought previously that he'd draw a similar deal to the higher tier deals but he's a backup on most teams, I think he can be had for less than the tag. His agent would jump on a deal like that with a bunch of guaranteed money up front I bet. 

I hope you are joking. Sure going with a rookie next year has it's risks but Mariota's ceiling is way lower than any of us realized. have you looked at his numbers from yesterday on Playaction versus straight drop backs? 

[tgo]

Just now, oldschool said:

I hope you are joking. Sure going with a rookie next year has it's risks but Mariota's ceiling is way lower than any of us realized. have you looked at his numbers from yesterday on Playaction versus straight drop backs? 

I totally get that, believe me. 

 

It's just about do you risk it with such a great roster. These young guys like Darnold, Rosen, Allen, Trubisky are garbage. 

[Jonboy]

The problem is he hasn't even shown he can be an effective, consistent game manager yet. Forget the rookie hopes of him becoming Rodgers. If he could even become Andy Dalton or Alex Smith then I'd be way more interested in re-signing him. He just hasn't done that yet. 

 

That first half was really bad yesterday. 

[BudsOilers]

The real issue is that the QB market is such that paying a game manager QB top tier money is a death blow to ROI.  Now, you can argue that it's worth it if the team is winning 11+ games per year and always making playoff runs. 

 

The problem is when you run into situations like the Titans have been in (9-7 purgatory) or where Buffalo was with Tyrod Taylor.  It's one thing to pay a guy on a rookie deal or even the 5th year option...

[oldschool]

2 minutes ago, Jonboy said:

The problem is he hasn't even shown he can be an effective, consistent game manager yet. Forget the rookie hopes of him becoming Rodgers. If he could even become Andy Dalton or Alex Smith then I'd be way more interested in re-signing him. He just hasn't done that yet. 

 

That first half was really bad yesterday. 

Thread incoming. His misses were glaring.

[TerryBoats]

I still think he's inferior to Tannehill.  I'd love to see him with Smith and these skill players