The Tennessee Titans have been searching for quarterback stability for the past few seasons as Jake Locker struggled with injuries and Zach Mettenberger was not given enough time and weapons to show if he can really be a professional or not. That issue is expected to end after the team selected Marcus Mariota with the No.2 draft pick. Mariota is expected to be the starting quarterback despite Mettenberger being on the roster. However, contract issues could make that an issue.
Mariota remains unsigned with training camp slowly approaching for the Titans and while this was not considered a concern during OTAs and minicamp, it is now an issue. According to Paul Kuharsky of ESPn.com, the Titans and Mariota are struggling over offset language that allows the team to recapture guaranteed money if the player is released and signs with another team. Essentially, Kuharsky explains that if Mariota were to leave, he could double-dip on guaranteed money should he not play out his entire contract with the Titans. Both sides are unwilling to budge on the notion.
According to team president Steve Underwood, the Titans have handed out the same contract with the same language to all of their top draft picks and they have no intentions of changing the trends for Mariota. He views the contract changes as a step back for the franchise.
"So keeping the offset in place is something we want to be able to do going forward. And the minute you back away from the contract principle then you no longer are able to assert it going forward," Underwood said. "Whatever you do echoes into eternity with player contracts. We just can't afford to take a step back, at least this early in the process. We're still a couple of weeks away from training camp."
The Titans will report to camp on July 30. If Mariota is not under contract by the time camp comes around, it is a big deal. It would prolong the quarterback from being able to practice and therefor hurting his status with the team. Mettenberger would immediately step in as the starter, something he is still aiming to be regardless of the presence of Mariota. The chances the contract gets done are good, but Titans fans do have reasons to worry if the two sides really will not budge.
According to the wide receiver group for the Titans, Mariota is already making his impact felt with the team. The quarterback is getting praise left and right as players like Harry Douglas and Hakeem Nicks battle for playing time. Douglas told the media that Mariota's accuracy will help the team improve in the long run.
"And that's one thing that makes a receiver dynamic - first being able to catch the ball and then being able to do some things with it after you catch it. I feel like [to this point] Marcus has done everything he needs to do to get the ball to his receivers. If you have an accurate quarterback, it allows us to get more yards after that catch," Douglas said, via ESPN.com.
