Last year, Marcus Mariota entered the offseason as the starting quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons. Fast forward to this spring and the former No. 2 overall pick has joined the Philadelphia Eagles to hold a clear backup role behind Jalen Hurts.
Mariota said he's never had a problem helping a fellow QB prepare.
"I'm at a point in my career where I've experienced everything," Mariota said on Wednesday. "I've been the guy, I've been the scout team guy, I've been released. So through all those different situations and scenarios, I've gathered a lot of experience, a lot of knowledge. I'm at a point in my career where I just want to enjoy the game. I want to have fun doing it. The scheme is very exciting for me, and the fact of the matter is, I feel like I can help Jalen. If we can make Jalen a better player, this team is going to be better."
Mariota was up and down as a starter last year in Atlanta but got a long leash from coach Arthur Smith before he was benched after 13 games, leaving the club and ultimately undergoing a knee procedure.
The former first-round pick -- for whom former Eagles coach Chip Kelly unsuccessfully tried to trade up to draft in 2015 -- entered the NFL with hype but struggled to stay healthy and be a consistent thrower.
After five years in Tennessee, he spent two seasons in Las Vegas backing up Derek Carr, so he's not unfamiliar with the job of a designated backup who won't have a chance to compete for snaps. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman noted earlier this offseason that Mariota's dual-threat ability makes him an excellent complement to keep the offense running if Hurts "caught a cold or something, and he had to play."
At this stage of his career, Mariota prioritized landing with a team that has a chance to make a deep postseason run.
"To be part of a team that was a play away from winning the Super Bowl was an opportunity I couldn't pass up," he said. "I'm very excited to be in this quarterback room. I think it's important that you have a strong quarterback room. Like I said, I'm going to do whatever I can to help (Hurts) out."
Mariota's skill set meshes better with how the Eagles offense is set up than Gardner Minshew's last season. So if Hurts misses a game, less of the plan would have to be altered. At this point, however, Mariota has shown he's a spot starter who can run an offense in a pinch rather than a franchise QB.
