The 2015 NFL draft is over a month away and Marcus Mariota could be a potential trade target, as Jameis Winston is expected to go number one and teams like the Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns and NY Jets could be potential options for the former Oregon quarterback.
Winston and Mariota are considered to be the top quarterbacks in the draft and if the Buccaneers take Winston number one, the Titans could be tempted to pick him at number two. Some recent mock drafts have Mariota slipping through the top four and if that actually happens, things will get very interesting. According to Pro Football Talk, the Washington Redskins could be a potential option for Mariota at number five, as Jay Gruden may see him as a better fit for his system than Robert Griffin III.
The Redskins pick at five, while the Jets are at number six and the New York tabloids have been buzzing since the season ended that Mariota could be a target. The Jets traded for Ryan Fitzpatrick and he could end up competing with Geno Smith or Mariota if he is drafted. The Philadelphia Eagles have also been lined to Mariota and that is due to his past connection to head coach Chip Kelly from when he was at Oregon.
Mariota was the starter for Kelly and he is a target for numerous teams at the top of the draft and some trade deals could start going down as it gets closer. Once the Buccaneers take Winston (if they do) the dominoes will fall and there is a chance a team could try and trade up with the titans to get Mariota. The Browns are an interesting team to watch, as Ray Farmer has said that he will not shy away from quarterbacks in this draft and they have the most picks of any team at the event.
According to ESPN.com, Mariota said to the Buccaneers team website that it's not a "huge thing" to be the number one pick in the draft. The Buccaneers were at Mariota's pro day at Oregon and while they are very likely taking Winston, they are doing their homework. The draft will be in Chicago and it starts at the end of April and Mariota could be the main attraction, as reports say Winston will not be attending the draft.
The Browns signed Josh McCown and they have Johnny Manziel, but McCown is not a long term solution and after Manziel went into rehab this offseason, his future could be up in the air. The pick wouldn't mean that the team has given up on Manziel, but if they end up with Mariota the media will probably frame it like that. Either way, Mariota could be a potential target since the Browns have two first round picks and that could allow them to move up.
The Jets are another option, but the team added Ryan Fitzpatrick and they also appear to be comfortable keeping Geno Smith in the mix. The team will likely wait and see what happens, as they have the number six pick and could be in position to trade up. The Redskins pick right ahead of them and with the Jaguars and Raiders at three and four and without a need at QB, it could get very intriguing.
