Thumbs up or down: Eagles beat writers weigh in on the Marcus Mariota signing

Signing Marcus Mariota to be Jalen Hurts’ backup makes obvious sense. The Eagles not only acquired a No. 2 quarterback who has started and won games in the NFL, but they got a dual-purpose one who should be enough of a running threat to execute the zone read, run-pass-run option plays that have become a vital part of the offense with Hurts.

Gardner Minshew was a fine backup. He won his lone start in 2021 and nearly guided the Eagles past the Cowboys in 2022. But his limitations as a passer were exposed against the Saints the week after the loss in Dallas. Minshew signed a one-year contract with the Colts for only $3.5 million, but he wanted a chance to compete for a starting spot and should get that opportunity — or even be a bridge quarterback — with Shane Steichen in Indy.

Mariota’s deal is for $5 million and worth up to $8 million if he hits certain incentives that can be activated if has to play for an extended period. Hurts missed three games to injury the last two seasons. As impressive as he has been avoiding contact, there’s only so much he can do with the ball in his hands in the open field. So the odds suggest Mariota will have to play at some point.

He’s not a long-term starting option at this point in his career — as evidenced by the Falcons’ attempt last season – but he has 34 wins in 74 starts. Mariota is still mobile at 29 and won’t bring any off-field baggage with him to Philly. He should be a good fit in the quarterback room with Hurts and Ian Book — assuming he sticks.

Mariota the thrower hasn’t been very accurate over his eight seasons. But his 62.6 percent completion rate is decent enough and shouldn’t become an issue unless the Eagles need him for multiple games. He has talent and it would have been interesting to see how his career would have played out had Chip Kelly traded up for his former Oregon quarterback in the 2015 draft.

Kelly would have had to mortgage the Eagles’ future to jump 18 spots in the first round, but theoretically having a stylistically-perfect quarterback to finally run his scheme may have altered his future. Maybe there was little to save the former Eagles coach, but it’s ironic that Howie Roseman — eight years after he was banished from football operations — was able to do what his former nemesis couldn’t: get Mariota.

Eight years later, the Eagles finally landed Mariota.

The circumstances surrounding the quarterback’s acquisition are much different than in 2015, when Kelly explored trading up for the Oregon star, but the signing is a sensible one. Mariota was one of the best backup quarterbacks on the market and an ideal scheme fit for Nick Sirianni’s offense. Jacoby Brissett was another quality option, but signed for slightly more according to media reports.

The 29-year-old started 13 games for the Falcons last season and went 5-8 before Atlanta turned things over to Desmond Ridder and Mariota opted to get season-ending knee surgery.

He threw 15 touchdowns to nine interceptions, completed 61.3% of his passes and averaged 7.4 yards per attempt. Those numbers are passable for a backup, especially when you consider the upgrade in supporting cast the Eagles would offer Mariota if his number was ever called.

While teams sometimes value a backup quarterback with a playing style opposite the starter, there’s something to be said about Mariota’s fit in an offense designed around Hurts’ strengths. Mariota is a plus athlete who ran for 438 yards on 85 attempts last season, which means he’d still be plus-one in the run game if Hurts has to miss time. There’s only one or two quarterbacks who can impact the run game to the level that Hurts can, but Mariota can at least come close.

Even though it’s been quite some time, Mariota also has a track record of thriving in an option-heavy system dating back to his years at Oregon. It’s the reason Kelly, who coached Mariota for two seasons before getting hired by the Eagles, coveted him in the draft and the reason why the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner should be right at home running Sirianni’s RPO-heavy scheme.

The Eagles could have secured a low-cost option at QB2 in the draft instead of spending for a veteran, but given the Eagles’ championship aspirations, it makes more sense to have a seasoned signal caller waiting in the wings rather than an untested rookie. Drafting a developmental quarterback might still make sense for the team even after signing Mariota, who is only on a one-year deal and could search for a starting job again in 2024 depending on how next year pans out.

Either way, the Eagles’ prioritization of a quality backup quarterback lives on. They hope Hurts takes every meaningful snap between September and February, but they’re now well-prepared if he isn’t able to.

» READ MORE: Eagles can win with an expensive Jalen Hurts, but free-agent frustration is their new norm | David Murphy

Minshew did a commendable job of quickly earning respect from his teammates during his Eagles tenure. When he was in the huddle during his handful of spot starts, it was evident guys aspired to make plays for Minshew. Still, though, Minshew’s play-style contrasted from Hurts, and it should serve the Eagles nicely now with Mariota in the fold.

Mariota, who has Samoan roots similar to left tackle Jordan Mailata and was raised in Honolulu, provides the Eagles with a more serviceable option at backup quarterback considering his dual-threat abilities. He might not have Hurts’ legs, but Mariota can still make plays with his feet. Last season with the Falcons, Mariota rushed 85 times for 438 yards (5.2 average) and four touchdowns. If Hurts goes down — he’s missed three regular-season games due to injury over his two years as the starter — the coaching staff won’t need to change the game plan as much with Mariota under center.

Mariota has plenty of experience playing in the RPO dating back to his college and high school days. While his career as an NFL starter hasn’t panned out as initially planned, Mariota is a 29-year-old veteran, and his voice will be a nice addition to the room. It helps that Mariota already boasts relationships with several inside the Eagles locker room, including A.J. Brown, Devon Allen, and Michael Clay.