Graney: Raiders don’t need Mariota — until they need him

Marcus Mariota is 1 of the NFL’s apical backup quarterbacks. He has 1 twelvemonth remaining connected a team-friendly declaration with the Raiders.

He says each the close things astir enjoying Las Vegas and seamlessly fitting into the violative strategy and having amusive astir a large radical of guys.

He’s similar a pro surfer from his autochthonal Hawaii. Says helium likes coming to enactment each day.

But if different squad wanted to woody for him arsenic its starter, Mariota would publication a Southwest formation retired of present faster than immoderate A-list preferred radical mightiness board.

The Raiders, connected the different hand, tin basal pat. They don’t person to determination him.

They tin hold for the close offer. What to bash with Mariota is simply a bully occupation to have.

Watching the landscape

Mariota connected Sunday said helium monitors those grooming campy situations crossed the league — hello, Indianapolis — wherever injuries astatine backmost person opened the anticipation of a trade.

The Colts mislaid starter Carson Wentz to a ft wounded and person been splitting first-team reps with second-year subordinate Jacob Eason and sixth-round prime Sam Ehlinger. They besides signed journeyman Brett Hundley. Read those names again. No wonderment Mariota has been mentioned truthful often.

It’s besides wherefore the Raiders should request somewhat of a tiny ransom if Indianapolis calls connected him. Or if immoderate different squad does arsenic well, for that matter. And that’s adjacent aft the 5 interceptions Mariota has thrown successful camp, including 2 connected Tuesday.

Teams suffer starting quarterbacks aboriginal successful a play and often the prospects of a postseason berth spell with them. The Colts person a playoff roster, but however overmuch has that borderline shrunk with Wentz going down?

He is said to beryllium retired 5-12 weeks. That’s a beauteous wide range.

It’s not needfully astir what the Raiders mightiness summation successful moving Mariota — I would statesman negotiations with a aboriginal second-round prime and possibly not travel disconnected it — but what they mightiness lose.

Not galore extracurricular the enactment judge the Raiders are a playoff squad again this season. It seems a fashionable grounds to foretell is 8-9. They deliberation differently.

Derek Carr enters his eighth play astatine backmost and has missed conscionable 2 regular-season games. He’s a amended stake to commencement each week than a memorial occurrence being lit earlier kickoff.

But it’s inactive the NFL. And if the feeling wrong is that a Top 10 discourtesy volition yet beryllium supported by a not-so-awful defense, determination are acold worse fates if Carr goes down than being capable to crook to Mariota, a seven-year pro with 61 vocation starts.

Nathan Peterman would travel next. ‘Nuff said.

“I deliberation the level of excitement for each of america is that Coach (Jon) Gruden does a large occupation creating roles for each and each player,” Mariota said. “I look guardant to carving retired that role.”

He should get the chance. Mariota is yet steadfast aft battling ankle and pectoral injuries past season. So Gruden is much apt to usage him successful peculiar packages that play to Mariota’s moving strengths. The manager doesn’t telephone the aforesaid plays for him arsenic Carr.

“You wouldn’t either,” Gruden said.

An awesome glimpse

Remember the glimpse. Mariota replaced an injured Carr successful Week 15 against the Chargers past play and completed 17-of-28 226 yards with a touchdown and interception. He besides ran for 88 yards and a people successful 30–27 overtime loss.

He didn’t look similar immoderate backup.

Which is wherefore if playoff hopes are live astatine immoderate constituent this season, they shouldn’t vanish if Mariota — for immoderate crushed — replaces Carr. You can’t accidental that astir about NFL teams successful respect to their No. 2 quarterback.

I don’t cognize if immoderate different NFL squad has called connected Mariota during camp. Or if the telephone volition soon ring.

But portion you ever person to answer, the Raiders mightiness beryllium astute to marque it a speedy speech unless an connection knocks Gruden’s visor off.

You don’t request Marcus Mariota.

Until, well, you truly request him.

Ed Graney is simply a Sigma Delta Chi Award victor for sports file penning and tin beryllium reached astatine egraney@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-4618. He tin beryllium heard connected “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday done Friday. Follow @edgraney connected Twitter.