Marcus Mariota is headed west in the near future.
The Las Vegas Raiders have agreed to terms with the quarterback on a deal, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
This development essentially closes the book on Mariota's career in Tennessee, which was headed for an end after Ryan Tannehill agreed to terms on a four-year, $118 million deal with the team Sunday.
That deal followed what became a half-season-long exercise in writing Mariota's Titans fate on the wall slowly in navy and light blue paint. Each Tannehill touchdown pass was another brush stroke toward Mariota leaving Nashville, the place he's called home since the Titans made him the No. 2 overall pick of the 2015 draft. The quarterback spent the second half of the season on the bench, relegated there as a result of coach Mike Vrabel deeming it time to go to the backup in order to jumpstart Tennessee's lagging season.
It worked, resulting in a run to the AFC Championship Game, a payday for Tannehill and a parting of ways for Mariota, who appears set to become Derek Carr's backup in the Raiders' new Nevada digs. We're sure to hear at least some corner of Raider Nation campaign for Mariota to get a fair shot at the job, but based off what general manager Mike Mayock had to say about Carr at the NFL Scouting Combine, Carr is firmly seated as the starter. Mariota does offer the Raiders some security, though, in the event Carr suffers an injury and can't play.
Beyond that, he'll be a well-known backup. If his time in Tennessee proves anything, he'll be a supportive understudy.
