The Marcus Mariota era in Tennessee has hit a slight snag While the quarterback did nothing but impress in both OTAs and minicamp there is one lingering issue that is showing no signs of improving with training camp just a month away. While most of the top draft picks are signed and sealed for the next four years, Mariota does not have a contract to his name and negotiations are reportedly not going well.
According to the Tennessean, Mariota has not signed a contract as the two sides go back and forth regarding a number for his rookie deal. General manager Ruston Webster acknowledged that Mariota could end up missing a few days of training camp if a deal is not yet agreed upon as offset language appears to be the holdup for the quarterback. Mariota denied that he was concerned about the fact that he was not signed yet and made it clear he had no intentions of missing any practices due to the issue.
"It's the furthest thing from my mind," Mariota said, via NFL Media's Tiffany Blackmon. "My agent is going to do his job. He's going to do whatever it takes. It's a business deal it takes some time. I'm happy to be a part of the organization and I'm sure it will work out."
The Titans have a lot riding on Mariota. They are counting on the quarterback to be the turnaround point for the franchise after struggling the past few seasons. NFL.com reports that Mariota is a lock to start Week 1 of the season over Zach Mettenberger and now the question is simply who will be the starting weapons he works with. The Titans did their best to add a lot of offensive fire power in the offseason, but it remains to be seen who gets the starting nod.
Dorial Green-Beckham is expected to contend for a starting job once he returns from a lingering hamstring injury. That has put both Justin Hunter and Kendall Wright on notice heading into training camp. The Tennessean confirms there is a growing competition at the wide receiver position highlighted by those three along with Harry Douglas and Hakeem Nicks. Mariota noted that he was not concerned about finding a top target to throw to, instead focused on improving in the new offense. However, realistically, someone could get cut in training camp.
"I don't think you can key in on one guy, the defenses in this league are too smart for that," Mariota said, via ESPN.com. "So for me, I'm just going to build a relationship with every guy, learn how every guy is, build that chemistry and be ready to go. It comes down to executing every play that the coaches ask from you. I'm not too big on having a favorite play or having a favorite receiver. I think if you're able to distribute the ball to everybody, everyone is going to make plays for you and you'll put your offense in the best situation."
