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Marcus Mariota Sign With Las Vegas Raiders, Reunite Chip Kelly? NFL Free Agency

Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota is set to be free agent this offseason. Mariota could potentially sign with the Las Vegas Raiders or Philadelphia Eagles. Will he reunite with Chip Kelly, newly hired offensive coordinator for the Raiders and coach Pete Carroll?

Charlie Viehl

Aug 12, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) stands on the field during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens.
Aug 12, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) stands on the field during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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Washington Commanders backup quarterback Marcus Mariota is set to be a free agent in the offseason, and NFL insider Adam Schefter says that the former Oregon Ducks star is going to have "interesting choices."

According to Schefter, Mariota might be moving on from the Commanders, potentially signing with the Miami Dolphins or Las Vegas Raiders.

Schefter was making an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show when the conversation shifted to newly hired Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. At first, the idea of a reunion between Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard and Kelly was thrown out before Schefter brought up Mariota.

Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly during 2025 CFP National Championship Media Day
Jan 18, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly during 2025 CFP National Championship Media Day at Georgia World Congress Center, Building A. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"Remember how much everybody wanted the Eagles and Chip Kelly to trade up to get Marcus Mariota, who is gonna be a free agent this offseason? So, Marcus Mariota," said Schefter. "I think maybe that's going to be an option, but I'll tell you where else Marcus Mariota is gonna be an option: in Miami, with Tua [Tagovailoa]. His good friend Tua. He'll be an option there. So there could be a little bit of interest in Marcus Mariota between the Miami Dolphins and Chip Kelly and the Las Vegas Raiders."

Kelly and Mariota overlapped at Oregon for one season before Kelly was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Ducks promoted Kelly's offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich to replace Kelly, and Mariota helped lead Oregon to the College Football Playoff, winning the 2014 Heisman Trophy along the way.

The Las Vegas Raiders recently hired Pete Carroll as the franchise's coach. Carroll and the Raiders subsequently hired Chip Kelly away from Ohio State, making him the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL. Will they reunite the former Oregon coach with Mariota?

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) stands on the field during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens
Aug 12, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) stands on the field during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Raiders hold the No. 6 pick in the NFL Draft, and they are rumored to be interested in drafting a quarterback like Colorado's Shedeur Sanders or Miami's Cam Ward with the selection. Would Las Vegas bring in Mariota in a backup role?

Another option for Mariota, according to Schefter, is signing with the Miami Dolphins as the backup quarterback to Tua Tagovailoa.

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Mariota and Tagovailoa have a well-documented relationship, beginning as kids in Hawaii. Although at different times, the two quarterbacks both attended St. Louis High School in Honolulu, Hawaii. Throughout his career, Mariota has stayed in touch with Tagovailoa, leading many to believe that the former Oregon Ducks quarterback might be inclined to sign with Miami.

Mariota was drafted No. 2 overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2015 NFL Draft. Most recently, he spent a season with the Washington Commanders, mentoring and backing up rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn praised Mariota in the offseason for his presence in the locker room, specifically his role in the development of Daniels.

“In a perfect scenario,” said Quinn, “a young quarterback would have a leader to also learn from, but perfect rarely happens. But we do have that in Marcus Mariota. Him sharing nine years of gold with Jayden, I think, has been something that’s really cool for us to see. Rookie quarterbacks usually don’t get that, and we do.”

Additionally, Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard will be on many teams' boards as the NFL Draft approaches. Will the Raiders pair Howard with Kelly? The pair won a national championship together at Ohio State, and there is no denying the familiarity between the two.

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Charlie Viehl
CHARLIE VIEHL

Charlie Viehl is a Boston College graduate and is an Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans beat reporter for On SI. A native of Pasadena, California, he covered sports across Los Angeles while at Loyola High School and edited the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program’s magazine at BC. While pursuing a career in sports journalism, he is also a lifelong musician. He is excited to bring his passion for storytelling and sports to fans of college athletics.

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