Quarterback Marcus Mariota has a chance to make some serious money with the Las Vegas Raiders if he can get on the field.
The Raiders brought in the former Tennessee Titans starter to compete with Derek Carr and his contract appears to be built around how much playing time he actually gets. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Mike Garafolo reported that his two-year deal has $7.5 million guaranteed in the first year. However, Tom Pelissero added that once incentives are added up, the deal can reach a total value of $37.5 million.
#Raiders gave Marcus Mariota a two-year, $17.6 million deal that includes $7.5m in the first year as a fully-guaranteed base salary.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 23, 2020
A fascinating deal that also includes a mountain of incentives and escalators that would pay Marcus Mariota starter money if he plays and has success. Max value: $37.5 million. https://t.co/OCYnkQt8qZ
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 23, 2020
Of course, in order to get all that incentive money, Mariota is going to have to actually get on the field and play.
The fact he took a deal heavy on incentive money should tell you the Oregon Heisman winner believes he can beat out Carr for the starting spot.
I 100% believe Jon Gruden will give Mariota every shot to win the starting job. People seem to think the dual-threat gunslinger is a bum just because he got benched last season.
That’s not the case at all. Mariota can absolutely play in the NFL and he can play at a high level when things are rolling.
He’s got a solid arm, but his real strength is his athleticism. Given how the quarterback position is evolving, Mariota is in a solid position to succeed if he gets another shot.
The Raiders made a great deal here and Mariota has a chance to go out and prove it.
