Marcus Mariota Finally Healthy, Now the Grind Begins

To have sustained success in the NFL, you need to have a reliable franchise quarterback. Of course, that’s obvious, but it can take a lot of searching. The Las Vegas Raiders seem to have that with Carr.

Carr has an injury history though, most evident when he sustained a broken fibula in 2016 late in a season in which the Raiders went 12-4, and he was in the MVP conversation. Having a backup quarterback who you know can come in and keep the team afloat is also necessary.

The Raiders certainly have an experienced backup in Marcus Mariota, the former starter for the Tennessee Titans. Signed by the Raiders this offseason, Mariota has a chance to find a new role after he lost his starting job to Ryan Tannehill last season. If early reports from camp are anything to go by, he seems to be off to a good start.

After a Raiders practice, coach Jon Gruden said of Mariota that he “really fired me up today. He has turned a corner with his ankle (injury) and he is a dazzling playmaker. He had a very nice day.”

It’s encouraging to see that Mariota has got off to a running start in the early stages of training camp. He’s dealt with his injuries throughout his career and to have him healthy and ready if something were to happen to Carr could be an underrated key to the season.

While Mariota has not been flawless, and he has had some practices better than others, his return from a major injury is promising. The camp is long, but when he is healthy, he is right to backup the Raiders' leader, Derek Carr.

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