Marcus Mariota

Desmond Ridder sat slumped over while clearly overwhelmed by a moment he didn't quite expect during NFL draft weekend. Bleacher Report's top-rated quarterback prospect in the 2022 class fell all the way to the 74th overall pick.

"It shouldn't have took this long," the quarterback told Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot. "They done f--ked up. I ain't even gonna lie."

The moment can fuel the fire within the individual while simultaneously meaning nothing to his new organization this season.

Yes, Ridder became a third-round selection. He shouldn't be handed anything. He'll need to earn his spot in the lineup. At the same time, the Falcons are clearly in a rebuilding phase, and letting Ridder gain significant starting experience this fall will help determine which direction the franchise should take next offseason.

Before the draft even began, a consensus materialized. This year's quarterback crop was the weakest in recent memory. The outcome of the event confirmed as much when Kenny Pickett became the lowest QB1 drafted since Jim Druckenmiller in 1997. Pickett was the only one among his position group to even hear his name called during the opening two frames.

Slowly, picks ticked by and everyone became curious where the rest of the quarterbacks would fall. Ultimately, Ridder turned into QB2 despite sliding all the way into the third frame, and that's exactly how the Falcons should view him.

An opportunity arose to land a talented player at the game's most important position for a reduced price, and Fontenot took advantage. Considering the team's current uncertainty under center with only Marcus Mariota standing in Ridder's way, the Falcons should give Ridder every chance to emerge as the starter and possibly reap significant rewards.

B/R scout Nate Tice wrote the following as part of the quarterback's evaluation:

"Overall, Ridder is a competitive player who showed a leap in improvement throughout the 2021 season. He’s athletic but doesn’t just rely on his legs to make plays happen and constantly showed an advanced understanding of Cincinnati’s offense with his pre- and post-snap operation. His ability to operate from the pocket with his polished movement and balance, while still maintaining the athleticism to create plays when things break down, is a fun package.

"Ridder is able to operate on time and has the arm strength to drive throws and balls to the field, which allows him to attack all areas of the defense. His main blemish is some inaccurate throws at the beginning of games when he seems to be too amped up. But he settles in as the game goes along and is a player who steps up in big moments. Ridder shows enough advanced play that he can start for an NFL team as a rookie. He’s not a perfect prospect and might take some knocks early as he steps up a level in competition."

At Cincinnati, the two-time American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year served as a culture-changer. The three-year team captain's maturity helped elevate the entire program and led the Bearcats as College Football Playoff participants to a level no other Group of Five program previously experienced.

As a performer, his understanding of concepts, where to go with the ball and how he ultimately navigates the pocket to work the scheme made him a favorite among tape hounds. Those aspects have already started to translate to an NFL practice field.

"He's light-years ahead of most other young quarterbacks from the neck up," head coach Arthur Smith told reporters. "I will give him that compliment."

Today's game, particularly at the collegiate level, trends toward run-pass options and an oversimplification of schemes in order for recruits to play at a younger age and faster once they're on the field. Certain situations don't evolve past that point, hence why Liberty's Malik Willis and Ole Miss' Matt Corral heard their names called after Pickett and Ridder.

An NFL playbook hasn't been an insurmountable task for the Falcons rookie, though. Instead, he's adapted rather well from a mental standpoint.

"He's very intelligent," Smith said before adding, "Clearly he's got to continue to improve ... but behind the scenes there are things he has done that have impressed me as a rookie."

None of this should come as a surprise. Ridder called his shot even before finding a new home in Atlanta.

"I talked to a team who interviewed Ridder, who said that he had a plan outlined for how he was gonna beat out a veteran in a training camp setting and become a starter in this league Year 1," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported at the beginning of April.

As for Ridder's natural tools, the Cincinnati product flaunts one of the best athletic profiles of any quarterback since the NFL started publicly posting combine results. In fact, his 4.52-second 40-yard dash ranks fourth-best and 10'7" broad jump is tied for second-best (first if you take into consideration that Brad Smith converted to wide receiver) during that span.

Clearly, Ridder is a mobile quarterback. After all, he ran for 2,180 yards and 28 touchdowns during his collegiate career. But he's more of a linear quarterback who's best utilized on designed runs instead of creating outside of structure. Still, his athleticism can be leveraged within an offense.

"We have some athletic quarterbacks, so we're going to try to play to our strengths," Smith said.

Yet Ridder's ability to work from the pocket and layer throws is what separated him from the majority of his classmates. According to Pro Football Focus, Ridder's 131.4 passer rating on deep throws (20 or more yards), as well as 73 deep passes without a turnover-worthy throw, both led major college football last season. His overall percentage of accurate passes finished fourth among draft eligible quarterbacks.

A third-round pick isn't perfect, of course. His concentration over the last two seasons, while working with personal quarterback coach Jordan Palmer, is marrying his lower-body mechanics to his throwing motion. Consistency with the right fundamentals helps create a more accurate passer over time.

"The main thing is working from my feet. That's where a quarterback starts, especially with your throwing motion," Ridder told The Athletic's Josh Kendall. “Make sure everything's staying balanced, staying level, when my weight transfers too far back or too far forward and over-striding as well."

The situation in which a player is placed factors considerably into his future success or failures. In Ridder's case, the Falcons became the perfect landing spot.

"Ridder has a chance," a front office executive told The Athletic's Mike Sando. "He has some mobility, he has some leadership and command to him. He is not plug-and-play, but he has some grit and determination to him that is probably similar to what they felt with Ryan Tannehill when Arthur Smith was with Tennessee."

The Tannehill comparison and its obvious connection to Smith—who previously served as the Titans play-caller—came up often throughout the predraft process, even from Ridder himself.

"In meetings with teams, in fact, I'm told he's compared himself to Titans QB Ryan Tannehill," Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported, "which, of course, is different from someone calling himself the next [Tom] Brady."

Furthermore, Ridder and Mariota present similar athletic profiles and overall skill sets. The latter certainly isn't viewed as the long-term solution after signing a two-year deal that essentially makes the seven-year veteran a bridge option. Atlanta can easily get out of Mariota's deal next season when his salary-cap hit escalates to $14.5 million with only $2.5 million owed if released, per Spotrac. For now, Mariota has the inside track to start because he is the veteran option with previous experience in the system and with the coaching staff. Although, the door remains wide-open for Ridder to take the job.

"As with any position, the best guy is going to play," Smith said after the draft, per Kendall. "With Marcus being the veteran, that's the way it'll go for now."

Realistically, nothing but a previous working relationship exists to warrant Mariota starting the majority of games this fall. Even in that instance, he lost the job to Tannehill after starting six contests in 2019. He hasn't made a start during the last two seasons. Even though he's only 28 years old and the 2015 second overall pick, Mariota never developed into the type of quarterback who's capable of carrying and elevating an offense.

The Falcons, meanwhile, lay claim to one of the league's worst rosters. The organization is obviously in transition after trading Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts. Ridder has the physical tools and mental makeup to start as a rookie. Plus, he should be given time to grow alongside Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Pitts and this year's eighth overall draft pick, wide receiver Drake London.

Draft status is just a number. Ridder brings enough potential to expedite the Falcons' progression from one era to the next. But he must be given a chance to do so this season.

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota told reporters that he will "absolutely" mentor rookie signal-caller Desmond Ridder when asked about it during a Thursday press conference:

Absolutely. I kind of always view that relationship in the quarterback room as important and special. I always felt that a good quarterback room can allow everybody to be better and allow everybody to grow. ... At the end of the day if they've got questions or I've got questions, they're a great set of eyes for me as well.

Mariota, a seven-year NFL veteran, signed a two-year, $18.75 million deal with the Falcons this offseason. He's replacing Matt Ryan, who started 14 years in Atlanta before the Falcons traded him to the Indinapolis Colts this offseason.

The Falcons also picked up Ridder in the NFL draft with the No. 74 overall draft pick this year out of Cincinnati.

The quarterback mentoring question has come into play this offseason after Tennessee Titans starter Ryan Tannehill was asked about such a potential relationship with rookie Malik Willis, who is now aboard the AFC South champions after going in the third round.

"I don't think it's my job to mentor him."

Ryan Tannehill on mentoring Malik Willis 😳 @brgridiron

(via @PaulKuharskyNFL)pic.twitter.com/uyAFhtmoDs

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 3, 2022

Tannehill later clarified the comments and said he meant no disrespect whatsoever.

.@Titans QB @ryantannehill1 with a long, heartfelt comment about wanting to be a great teammate to @malikwillis.

Said he meant no disrespect to Malik and is disappointed with how things got twisted over his quote on mentoring.

🎥 pic.twitter.com/4nhdlxSXhU

— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) May 24, 2022

There's no issues on Willis' end either, as the ex-Liberty star said, per Ben Arthur of the Tennessean: "We chopped it up. It was never anything negative. Ryan is a good dude. … Everything is cool, man."

Everything also appears cool in Atlanta as the Falcons try to figure out a long-term solution at the position.

The Falcons certainly have options at quarterback between Mariota and Ridder. The 2023 draft class also appears rich with prospects with potentially Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Alabama's Bryce Young, Stanford's Tanner McKee and Miami's Tyler Van Dyke all in the mix.

Atlanta is in a transitional period after the end of the Ryan era. The Falcons did post a respectable seven-win season amid a significant rebuild under new general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith.

Any quarterback drama doesn't appear to be a hindrance toward that goal as the Falcons look toward their 2022 season opener versus the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 11.

In B/R's big board ahead of the 2022 NFL draft, there are seven quarterbacks in the top 150. That's exactly as many as there were in 2021.

The big difference?

Last year, four quarterbacks were ranked inside the top 10 and had grades of 8.7 (immediate impact prospect/NFL starter) or higher. Two—Ohio State's Justin Fields and Clemson's Trevor Lawrence—had grades above 90, with All-Pro as a floor and the Hall of Fame as a ceiling.

This year, not a single QB is included among the 10 highest-graded players of this class. B/R scouts' No. 1 QB prospect, Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder, is slotted 17th overall; the next, Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett, doesn't appear on the board until No. 43.

The rest of the quarterbacks who made it into the top 150 players in this year's class rank as follows: Ole Miss' Matt Corral at No. 82, Liberty's Malik Willis at No. 87, North Carolina's Sam Howell at No. 92, Nevada's Carson Strong at No. 93 and Western Kentucky's Bailey Zappe at No. 107.

Moreover, no quarterback in this class earned a grade of 9.0 (top-10 prospect) from B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice. QB1 Ridder grades out at 8.4 (first-year starter/late first or second-rounder). All the other prospects are graded between 7.7 (potential impact player/second-rounder) and 6.8 (potential role player/fourth-rounder). 

All of this is to say there is one prospect in this class—Ridder—who might be considered a future franchise quarterback, with the talent and potential to start his rookie season if he had to. 

Every other quarterback in this class, in all likelihood, is best suited to be an NFL backup.

But because there are so many QB-needy teams in 2022—and so few signal-callers likely to land on the trade market when it comes down to it—these players are going to be drafted higher than they ought to be and have unfair expectations pinned on them as a result. 

QB class bogs it down. I think it’s overall a good class. Solid B. https://t.co/CuGqofTDD5

— Cory (@fakecorykinnan) February 10, 2022

We have been living in a golden era of young quarterback prospects.

Five quarterbacks were drafted in the first round in 2021, with three in the first three selections.

Four were drafted in Round 1 in 2020; the No. 1 overall pick, Joe Burrow, is currently preparing to play in Sunday's Super Bowl LVI.

Fourteen other quarterbacks were drafted within the first 10 selections in the five years before that. 

With all that talent pouring out of college football in recent seasons, the well was due to dry up at some point.

That's not to take anything away from this season's QB class before they've even had a chance to prove themselves on the field.

But the many teams that might be considered QB-needy this offseason are in trouble. 

Who are those teams, exactly? Let's go by the current draft order.

The Houston Texans have a more complicated quarterback situation than any other team in the league. Not only will they have only one quarterback who is not Deshaun Watson actively under contract when the new league year begins on March 16 in Davis Mills, but they have to figure out what to do with Watson.

Watson didn't suit up for the entire 2021 season as allegations of sexual misconduct made against him by 22 women are investigated. The ongoing legal process, obviously, also made him untradeable.

Before the legal action against him began, Watson had requested a trade from the team. It seems likely he will not play another down for the Texans, but his presence on the roster hamstrings them from a future decision. Mills may be the QB of the future, but the Texans need a veteran who can push him in training camp or provide roster depth. That makes the free-agency market an obvious choice for Houston.

The two quarterbacks on the New York Jets' roster behind Zach Wilson are set to become free agents in March. The Jets are in a better position than most of the teams on this list in that they have a clear starter Wilson, but they'll still need depth in their QB room.

The Carolina Panthers, meanwhile, don't have a clear path forward at the position.

Cam Newton was cut and then re-signed and is now an impending free agent. Sam Darnold is under contract for one more season, but unless he can blow Carolina away in 2022 with an improvement on his 243-completion, 2,527-yard, nine-touchdown and 13-interception 2021 campaign, he doesn't seem like he possesses the keys to the car.

The Matt Ryan era is almost over for the Atlanta Falcons; he'll become an unrestricted free agent in 2024, but the team has a potential out in 2022, set to save $23.8 million in cap space if they cut or trade him after June 1. A.J. McCarron and Josh Rosen will become free agents in March.

Over in Denver, the only quarterback the Broncos will have under contract when the new league year hits is 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock, whose rookie contract is set to expire in 2023.

George Paton on process of picking a QB to fit the Broncos' roster:

“If we don’t think the draft class is very good, we’re probably going to try to go heavy into free agency or the trade market. But I think there’s some talented guys in this rookie class, so we’ll weigh that." pic.twitter.com/Mu7NLVwVm9

— Aric DiLalla (@AricDiLalla) February 4, 2022

Denver just signed Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett this offseason and is a constant rumored trade destination for Aaron Rodgers, but that's no surefire plan; Rodgers could return to the Packers or retire altogether this offseason.

Jimmy Garoppolo and Russell Wilson are also thrown around in trade rumors frequently, but again, that can't be a Plan A for any of these teams.

The other teams that could be considered QB-needy are the Washington Commanders, who have three signal-callers (Ryan Fitzpatrick, Garrett Gilbert and Kyle Allen) set to become free agents, which would leave only Taylor Heinicke under contract, as well as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Tom Brady at long last announcing his retirement.

Mason Rudolph is the only Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback with an active contract beyond 2022, so they will need depth as well.

Of these teams, some have players who can start in 2022 but need a backup or training-camp competition. Some of those players, like Mills, Wilson and Lock, could be the guy in the future, but this upcoming season is crucial for figuring that out.

On the other hand, the Bucs and possibly the Panthers need to acquire a player who can start games now, and this draft class is not the one for that. Those could be the teams that draft Ridder, the one QB in this class who could be ready to start sometime in his rookie season after sitting for half a year.

But none of the other prospects in this year's class can likely provide immediate help to these clubs.

The teams on this list who are looking for a new prospect to build their offense around, like the Bucs, Panthers and Steelers, need to bide their time until Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud enter the draft in 2023.

But the others who simply need depth should use free agency rather than the draft to bring in the help they need for this upcoming season.

If you were starting an NFL franchise today, you wouldn't be overwhelmed by the options expected to be available: Fitzpatrick, Andy Dalton, Newton, Tyrod Taylor, Jameis Winston, Teddy Bridgewater, Marcus Mariota, Joe Flacco, Mitchell Trubisky.

However, for teams that potentially only need short-term help or training-camp competition for young signal-callers the jury is still out on, more experienced players such as Fitzpatrick or Dalton make sense. Both over 30, they won't break the bank as short-term rentals.

For teams that don't have a potential future franchise cornerstone on the roster, seeing if middle-of-the-road players such as Taylor, Bridgewater, Mariota or Trubisky could have more success in their systems than at their previous stops is a worthwhile exercise that also shouldn't involve multiyear contracts for tens of millions.

None of this is to say one of these teams, or another franchise not mentioned here with an aging starter, won't take a chance on Pickett or Willis if they think they could become a multiyear starter down the road.

But this offseason, teams can use these free-agent veterans for exactly what they are: a one-year bridge until the 2023 draft rolls around.

         

Active NFL team contracts via Spotrac.

After two seasons with Tom Brady, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to be in the market for a new starting quarterback in 2022 as Tom Brady officially announced his retirement Tuesday morning.

Tom Brady officially retires. Among his posts… pic.twitter.com/o9GqgRKsoO

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 1, 2022

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington reported January 29 that Brady would retire from the NFL after 22 seasons.

Barring a trade for an established veteran, the easiest way for the Bucs to find a quarterback will be in the 2022 NFL draft. They currently project to have seven picks, including the 27th overall selection.

This isn't the best draft class to be looking for a potential franchise quarterback. B/R's NFL scouting department only has one quarterback with a first-round grade (Desmond Ridder at No. 17 overall).

Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett is the only other signal-caller ranked in the top 75 (No. 43).

B/R's Nate Tice wrote that Ridder "has a path toward being a Pro Bowl-caliber player at the position if he gets in the right situation and can continue to work on his consistency."

Liberty's Malik Willis came into this season as one of the quarterbacks who could soar up boards because of his diverse skill set. He didn't make the progress needed to elevate himself into the top tier of players in this draft class.

B/R's scouting department has Willis as the No. 4 quarterback, behind Ridder, Pickett and Matt Corral:

Willis has some intriguing traits that will make him a fun developmental prospect, but he has a long way to go to become an every-week NFL starter. He flashes very good arm strength when he's throwing in rhythm, with a nice, catchable deep ball and the ability to drive intermediate throws into tight spaces.

He wins using his legs instead of hanging in the pocket to progress through passing concepts. It is great that he has that ability, and it is a true plus trait. But he will need time and reps to become comfortable in an NFL offense versus complicated pro defenses.

The free-agent class doesn't look much better right now. Jameis Winston, Teddy Bridgewater, Marcus Mariota and Mitchell Trubisky are the top four free-agent quarterbacks, per Pro Football Focus.

Winston had his infamous 30-30 season for Tampa in 2019 before Brady signed with the team. He was playing well for the New Orleans Saints this season before a torn ACL put him on the shelf in Week 8. The 28-year-old threw for 1,170 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions in seven starts prior to the injury.

It would seem unlikely head coach Bruce Arians wants to reunite with Winston, but perhaps he saw something to work with during Winston's brief tenure with the Saints in 2022.

Bridgewater's checkdown-style of play doesn't really fit with Arians' history of having quarterbacks who can throw the ball deep.

Mariota has spent the past two seasons as Derek Carr's backup with the Las Vegas Raiders. Trubisky threw eight passes in 2021 as Josh Allen's backup for the Buffalo Bills.

The Buccaneers have one of the best situations for any quarterback, rookie or veteran, to walk into. Chris Godwin can become a free agent this offseason, but ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the team has "high interest" in re-signing the 25-year-old.

If Godwin returns, the Bucs would have him and Mike Evans as their top two wide receivers. Tight end is a significant question mark with O.J. Howard set to hit free agency and Rob Gronkowski's future uncertain.

But the offensive line was the second-best unit in the NFL in 2021, per Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson.

A quarterback with an elite offensive line, two top-tier wide receivers and a great offensive head coach is already at an advantage over most players at the position.

The Las Vegas Raiders placed receiver Bryan Edwards and quarterback Marcus Mariota on the reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos.

Las Vegas added safety Roderic Teamer, guard Jermaine Eluemunor and cornerback Brandon Facyson to the list earlier this week, while Nate Hobbs was activated from the list Saturday.

It makes the Raiders slightly short-handed going into a key AFC West battle between two teams with a 7-7 record.

Las Vegas already had its Week 15 matchup with the Cleveland Browns delayed from last Saturday to Monday because of an outbreak within the Browns organization.

The Raiders could struggle in the passing attack without Edwards, who scored his third touchdown of the year last game. He also has 30 catches for 508 yards in his second NFL season.

With tight end Darren Waller still dealing with a knee injury, there are few trustworthy pass-catchers behind Hunter Renfrow. Veteran DeSean Jackson could see a bigger role in Week 16.

Mariota has mostly been used on gadget plays as a backup quarterback behind Derek Carr this season. He appeared in four snaps last game, per Pro Football Reference, totaling one rush for three years.

The former Tennessee Titans quarterback has 48 rushing yards in 2021 but zero pass attempts.

His absence still creates uncertainty behind Carr, with Nathan Peterman now the No. 2 option after being activated from the practice squad.    

"Leadership."

That is what Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Marcus Mariota said interim head coach Rich Bisaccia immediately brought to the team when he took over after Jon Gruden resigned. 

"From the moment he took over, his command of the entire team was pretty predominant," Mariota told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. "It's something that we can look to as we go in the right direction. He's gathered everybody, he's put us on the same page, he's had the same mindset day in and day out. As long as we continue to improve, I think this team is really good and tough to beat."

The Raiders have been more than just tough to beat since Bisaccia assumed the coaching responsibilities.

In fact, they are 2-0 with double-digit victories over the Philadelphia Eagles and division-rival Denver Broncos. The result is a 5-2 record, which is good enough for first place in a daunting AFC West that includes the loaded rosters of the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers.

Las Vegas is also tied with the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans for the best record in the AFC and looks like a much better team than it did during a 20-9 loss to the Chicago Bears in Gruden's final game before he resigned when emails revealed he used racist, sexist and anti-gay language.

"Especially through the adversity that we've gone through the last couple weeks, it's a testament to this team and a testament to the guys in the locker room," Mariota said of the recent winning streak under Bisaccia.

Mariota has gone through his own adversity this season.

It appeared the No. 2 pick of the 2015 NFL draft, who started 61 games for the Titans during his first five seasons, was going to be involved in different packages for the Raiders this year when he broke through for a 31-yard run in the opener against the Baltimore Ravens.

However, he suffered a quadriceps injury on the play and was placed on injured reserve until he was activated on Oct. 16. He had a four-yard run during Sunday's win over the Eagles and is ready to help the team in whatever way he's asked.

"I feel great," Mariota said. "It's a credit to the Raiders training staff, a whole lot of people who were able to get me back faster than I initially thought. I feel great; it's fun being a part of this team. It's a young team, and guys are flying around and playing well. Coach says it all the time, 'Excel in whatever your role is.' Whatever that is for me and whatever that entails, I'm just going to do my best to try to help this team win."

His role will likely be fairly limited still thanks to the presence of Derek Carr.

There were some questions about Carr's future before the season since he is under contract through just the 2022 campaign. The Raiders selected him with a second-round pick in 2014 and have largely struggled from a team perspective despite his three Pro Bowl appearances and three seasons with more than 4,000 passing yards on an individual level.

The Raiders have never won the AFC West with Carr and lost to the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card Game during their only playoff appearance in his career. That 2016 season was also their only one with a winning record since drafting the quarterback.

That all seems primed to change in 2021.

"Extremely high," Mariota said when asked about the team's confidence level in Carr. "I think he's very underrated. I think he's a guy down in and down out who is very accurate and gets us in good plays. At the line of scrimmage, he's got a total command of the offense. For me as a player even playing against him for years, he is such a cerebral player, but at the same time, he lets his instincts take over. He's playing at a very high level right now, and I think the team truly believes in him. We're going to go as far as our quarterback goes."

Carr has been dialed in this season while completing 67.7 percent of his passes for 2,269 yards, 12 touchdowns and five picks.

He is spreading the ball around with seven different players tallying double-digit reception totals through the first seven games and has made clutch plays on the way to a 5-2 record. Two of those victories came in overtime when he defeated the Ravens with a winning touchdown pass to Zay Jones and set up the winning field goal against the Miami Dolphins with a long completion to Bryan Edwards.

Carr may be QB1 on the field with that passing ability, but Mariota would surely hold his own in a Call of Duty competition.

Mariota partnered with the video game franchise ahead of the Nov. 5 release of Call of Duty: Vanguard. Players will have the opportunity to experience World War II battles through the original Special Forces Operators and on different fronts in the new game.

"I love Call of Duty," Mariota said of the partnership. "I have a group of friends, and we've been playing since the first Modern Warfare like in middle school and early high school. We play it pretty religiously and jump on regularly since it's an easy way to stay in touch. We just love playing the game; we love being competitive."

He also thinks all that experience would help him be "pretty decent" in a competition against his fellow Raiders.

"Word on the street is Henry Ruggs is pretty good," Mariota said. "Keisean Nixon, there's a few guys that I've heard in the locker room who are pretty solid. Haven't played them yet, but I'd take my shot. I think I'd be pretty decent."

Mariota went from playing Call of Duty with his friends in high school to becoming a household name as one of the most dominant college football players of his generation.

He won the 2014 Heisman Trophy at Oregon by throwing for 4,454 yards, 42 touchdowns and four interceptions while adding 770 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground in an incredible individual season.

The Ducks advanced to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game with their dominant quarterback at the helm, although they were unable to do something once they got there that this year's team did: beat Ohio State.

Oregon is in the thick of the CFP race in large part thanks to its win over the Buckeyes, and Mariota believes his school has an opportunity to make some noise down the stretch.

"I think they're pretty battle-tested," he said. "Throughout the season, they've had a lot of close calls. When you make a run like this, especially in college football, you're going to have to go through some of those games. And this team has proven they can win in some of these crunch-time games."

There has been some inconsistency, though, as the Ducks lost to Stanford and barely escaped a matchup against California that saw some of their home fans booing quarterback Anthony Brown and the offense. Mariota is hoping to talk to the Oregon quarterback during the Raiders' Week 8 bye and highlighted some of his clutch plays late in that California game and in a 34-31 win over UCLA.

"With this bye week I'm heading up there in a few days," he said. "Hopefully I get the chance to talk to him. For everything that he's gone through this entire year and his entire career, he's played well in big moments. That's all you ask for is a guy just to make plays when it counts, and he's stepped up to the plate when things have gotten close in these clutch moments."

If the Ducks and Raiders continue to deliver in those clutch moments as fall turns into winter, perhaps Mariota's current team and the college he became famous at will be playing for championships.

Las Vegas Raiders star Derek Carr is currently questionable for his team's Week 3 clash against the Miami Dolphins after he had an MRI on his ankle injury, though head coach Jon Gruden believes the quarterback will be able to play.

"Right now, he’s questionable,” Gruden told reporters Monday.

Carr suffered a bit of a scare during Sunday's 26-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He noted after the game that "it could have been a lot worse":

"It was the same ankle that I broke. I said 'I can't go out like this.' It could have been a lot worse."

Derek Carr described his injury scare after the big @Raiders win in Pittsburgh. (@EvanWashburn) pic.twitter.com/70mgOoBOgZ

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 19, 2021

He went 28-of-37 for 382 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions in the win.

This is shaping up to be a pivotal year in Carr's tenure with the Raiders. 

Las Vegas missed the playoffs for four straight seasons. Should the streak extend to five years, the franchise might be in the market for a new quarterback considering none of the $19.8 million Carr is owed in 2022 is guaranteed.

Should the three-time Pro Bowler excel, on the other hand, he might be looking at a big payday in the offseason.

The 2021 campaign has trended toward the latter so far. Through the first two games, Carr has thrown for 817 yards and four touchdowns as the Raiders sit 2-0.

If Carr is forced to miss time, his injury could bring the Raiders' progress to a screeching halt. The impact of his absence would be magnified because Marcus Mariota is already on injured reserve due to a quad problem.

Nathan Peterman's most memorable achievement to date is throwing five interceptions in a single half, so lining him up under center is a less than optimal solution for the situation.

The Las Vegas Raiders have placed quarterback Marcus Mariota on injured reserve, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The move will keep him out for at least the next three games.

Rapoport reported Thursday that Mariota would miss "multiple weeks" after aggravating a quadriceps injury in a Week 1 game against the Baltimore Ravens.

The backup had a 31-yard run on his only play in the Monday Night Football win.

The injury is part of a rough stretch to begin the year for the Raiders:

RB Josh Jacobs is one of five Raiders ruled out of Sunday's game at Pittsburgh, along with LG Richie Incognito, LB Nick Kwiatkoski, S Roderic Teamer and QB Marcus Mariota. https://t.co/pBkXNJ0zyL pic.twitter.com/IKQd5yX9g8

— Paul Gutierrez (@PaulHGutierrez) September 17, 2021

Derek Carr remains the unquestioned starting quarterback, but Mariota's mobility gave the Raiders another weapon.

"We lost a big part of our offense," head coach Jon Gruden said Tuesday.

Nathan Peterman will move into the No. 2 role as the only other quarterback on the roster.

Mariota suffered the quad injury in training camp, which limited him during the preseason. The No. 2 pick in 2015 also spent part of last year on injured reserve with a strained pectoral muscle and appeared in only one game.

After making 61 starts across five seasons with the Tennessee Titans, Mariota has been active for just six games since signing with the Raiders in 2020.

The Raiders will hope this doesn't slow them down when they visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.  

Las Vegas Raiders backup quarterback Marcus Mariota is reportedly expected to miss time with a quad injury.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Mariota aggravated a preexisting injury on a 31-yard run against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night, and it is likely to keep him out "multiple weeks."

Rapoport noted that the Raiders had been planning to "sprinkle" Mariota into certain situations in an effort to give opposing teams a different look from starting signal-caller Derek Carr.

Mariota was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans after he enjoyed a standout collegiate career.

In five seasons with the Titans, Mariota went 29-32 as a starter, and he also led them to the playoffs and won a playoff game in 2017.

Mariota was supplanted by Ryan Tannehill as the starter in 2019, resulting in him signing with the Raiders in free agency prior to the 2020 season.

While Mariota appeared in only one game last season in relief of Carr, he was highly effective, completing 60.7 percent of his 28 passes for 226 yards, one touchdown and one interception while also rushing for 88 yards and a score.

The 31-yard run was Mariota's only snap of the night in the 33-27 win over Baltimore on Monday, but it offered a glimpse into how head coach Jon Gruden intended to utilize him this season.

With Mariota no longer available to the Raiders for the foreseeable future, Carr figures to take all of the snaps under center.

Carr is in the midst of his eighth season as the Raiders starter and turned in a huge performance Monday, throwing for 435 yards, two touchdowns and one pick.

He is just 48-63 in his NFL career, however, and has led the Raiders to the playoffs only once.

Even so, Carr is by far the Raiders' best option at quarterback, and he becomes even more vital now that Mariota isn't there to back him up.

For as long as Mariota is out, Nathan Peterman will be elevated to the role of No. 2 quarterback behind Carr.

Peterman took nearly every snap for Las Vegas during the preseason and has some starting experience in the NFL.

As a member of the Buffalo Bills in 2017 and 2018, the Pitt product started four games, going 1-3. In nine career regular-season appearances, the 27-year-old has completed 52.6 percent of his passes for 573 yards with three touchdowns and 12 interceptions, giving him a passer rating of just 34.0.

Peterman was unable to supplant Tyrod Taylor and then got replaced by Josh Allen in Buffalo, and the Raiders could find themselves in a precarious position if he is pressed into significant action.