Should the Las Vegas Raiders trade Marcus Mariota for the Colts?

The Las Vegas Raiders currently have something the Indianapolis Colts lack, a healthy quarterback with starting potential. This makes Marcus Mariota a valuable business asset for the Raiders.

Colts starting quarterback Carson Wentz left practice Thursday after feeling a pinch in his foot and has been sent off indefinitely. Details of the injury have not been released so speculation is rife but it looks like Wentz is doomed to be out of time. That leaves Indianapolis with sophomore pro Jacob Eason, rookie Sam Ehlinger and newly signed Brett Hundley as their only viable options under center at the moment.

Neither Eason nor Ehlinger have any starting experience and Hundley was available at this time of year for a reason. This puts the Colts in a huge stalemate because the rest of the roster is set to compete for a playoff run, but the start of the season – and perhaps even longer – without a competent signal caller will dramatically reduce their numbers. playoff chances. So GM Chris Ballard will likely pick up the phone and make a few calls to other teams in the league.

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If Ballard dials a number 702, should Mike Mayock pull the trigger and send Mariota to Indy? First we’ll have to at least try to figure out what the offer would be. Looking at other quarterback trades that have taken place this offseason will help give us a baseline for what the Raiders backup quarterback is worth.

The Colts acquired Wentz via trade and gave up a third-round pick in 2021 and a conditional second round in this year’s draft that could turn into a first-round selection. This condition removes Indianapolis’ first and second picks from Las Vegas since Philadelphia has the rights to one of them, and that would likely be too high a price for Mariota, anyway. At the draft level, that leaves the Colts’ third or fourth round picks as the highest draft compensation they can give for this year.

To serve as a few other basic trades, the Panthers gave up second, fourth and sixth round picks to get Sam Darnold and secured a sixth comeback for Teddy Bridgewater. So I think it’s fair to say that Mariota is worth Indy’s third-round pick in 2022, given the context of the situation and other similar deals in the league.

Now the question shifts to: should the Raiders trade?

Having the best or even just a quality backup quarterback is a great luxury to have, but it can also be completely unnecessary. In an ideal world, this is a place where you hope the player never sees the pitch because that means something bad has happened to the starter. Sure, it’s good to have a backup plan if Derek Carr breaks down or isn’t playing well, but he’s missed a total of two regular-season games and has been a good player for the past few years.

So Mariota could be more valuable if he’s returned for a mid-term draft pick with starting potential, than if he’s holding a clipboard and playing sparingly for Las Vegas.

The Silver and Black will have to act quickly to maximize their deal. Right now, the last impression everyone has of Mariota is that he put in an impressive performance on Thursday Night Football against the Chargers. Also it is would have been tearing it apart at the start of training camp, so it may be better to strike while the iron is hot.

Another reason to be quick is that the Raiders probably won’t be the Colts’ only call-up. Ballard and company could pick up the phone and call places like San Francisco, Jacksonville, and Chicago to inquire about Jimmy Garoppolo, Garner Minshew, or Nick Foles. Personally, I would take Mariota out of those three, especially given the contractual situations, but the longer Las Vegas stays, the more time another organization has to strike a deal.

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While Carr has proven to be enduring, injuries can happen to anyone at any time, and the Raiders watched Mariota come off the bench and put the team in position to win not too long ago. Plus, many believe this is a pivotal year for Carr and if the team doesn’t win, having someone else turn to a spark on the bench is a nice luxury to have. . An extra pick midway through is fine, but it won’t matter much if the team has issues under the cross.

Another factor to consider is the implications for the playoffs. The Silver and Black are hoping to make a playoff effort this year and Indianapolis will likely be one of the teams that stand in their way. So why do something that could potentially help reignite another organization’s playoff hopes if they’re in the same conference?

It’s also worth noting that the Raiders and Colts will face off in what could be a very crucial matchup for Week 17. If Mariota plays well and keeps the Colts afloat, then the trade could really come back to bite the Raiders.

As for the timing, Las Vegas could benefit while waiting to close the deal. With three preseason games to come in the near future, the former Duck will have plenty of opportunities to muster some good boards and increase the organization’s return in a trade. It might be a delayed gratuity, but the Raiders could end up slipping more picks or better value with the Colts’ early 2023 picks if Mariota continues to have a good camp.

Personally, I would go ahead and trade now. If the Colts are going to take a step, they’ll probably want to move quickly so their new quarterback can start taking the playbook, and I just think Mariota is more valuable as a pick than a replacement.

But I’ll leave things open. Express yourself in the comments section with what you think. Should the Raiders trade Mariota? If so, when and for how much?