Is Marcus Mariota A Concern As Backup Quarterback?
The Philadelphia Eagles signed Marcus Mariota to a one-year, $5 million contract in March. The decision to bring in a veteran behind Jalen Hurts made sense, especially considering Mariota’s athleticism…
The Philadelphia Eagles signed Marcus Mariota to a one-year, $5 million contract in March. The decision to bring in a veteran behind Jalen Hurts made sense, especially considering Mariota’s athleticism and comparable style to the franchise quarterback.
Howie Roseman didn't pay any kind of king’s ransom in this particular deal, after all.
However, Mariota has received underwhelming reviews from media members at training camp this summer. The former second-overall pick showed Eagles fans why on Saturday night against the Baltimore Ravens.
Rookie Tanner McKee looked sharp in his first chance to wear midnight green. Mariota looked too eager to take off running. He didn't lead an efficient offense in a small preseason sample size.
John Kincade spoke about a downgrade at backup quarterback in 2023. Is his concern about losing Gardner Minshew justified?
Berman Speaks About Marcus Mariota
Zach Berman of The Athletic weighed in as a guest on The John Kincade Show.
“I don't think Marcus Mariota is leading your team to the Super Bowl, if you will, but I don't think he's a significant step back from Gardner Minshew. I think there are things Mariota can do with his legs with some off-schedule plays that you like, and he's won games in this league. He's had what? Eight different offensive coordinators? He's seen different systems. He's your backup quarterback, and I think it's a little bit reactionary to be concerned about him.” -Berman
Berman also said that Minshew is not necessarily a better option than Mariota behind Jalen Hurts.
“I would probably prefer Minshew, and Minshew had...two years in the offense, but I thought that Minshew wasn't great in those games he played last year when they had that two-game losing streak. I think Mariota, what he can do with his legs, that's appealing. I would probably prefer Minshew, but I think they're fine with Mariota as the backup. You don't want Jalen Hurts to be out for a month, but I think you can win games with Mariota out there.” -Berman
Expectations for Backups Quarterbacks
Mariota brings a track record of 74 career starts. The Eagles won't be stuck with an inexperienced quarterback in the event of an injury to Hurts.
"I think as a guy that's played in the league now for eight years, I've been cut. I've been a starter. We've won playoff games. I've been benched. I just really believe that I can relate with a lot of guys," Mariota said during his first press conference in Philadelphia.
The Eagles needed a legitimate insurance policy for an aggressive runner like Hurts. Their star signal-caller has missed games in each of his two seasons as a starter. He suffered injuries toward the end of both seasons after some significant hits piled up.
While Gardner Minshew had a comparable talent level, the Eagles didn’t lose much. He proved he wasn’t a good option during an 0-2 stretch late in the 2022 season. His brutal performance against the New Orleans Saints on New Year’s Day forced Hurts back into action sooner than the Eagles wanted.
Like Berman said, Mariota could realistically step in for a short-term sub and keep the Eagles afloat. If he had to step in for a long-term stretch, much bigger problems would derail the season anyway.
He might not look pretty in the preseason, but not many backup quarterbacks do. You can hear Zach Berman's guest appearance below.
Watch The John Kincade Show live on the 97.5 The Fanatic YouTube page on weekday mornings from 6am-10am.
The Philadelphia Eagles are almost ready to begin training camp at the Nova Care Complex.
The city of Philadelphia has the luxury of a baseball team in contention for the World Series once again in 2023. Are the Phillies actually overshadowing the Eagles less than half a year after an appearance in Super Bowl LVII though?
2023 Eagles Offseason
The offseason buzz hasn’t been as loud as in past years. Howie Roseman focused mostly on retaining key players that helped the Eagles win the NFC Championship Game in January.
The biggest splashes came at the NFL Draft. The Eagles entered the spotlight by adding a trio of Georgia Bulldogs in Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, and Kelee Ringo.
It was an offseason without too many big-name free agents or blockbuster trades. However, the most passionate fan base in the NFL always has the hunger to watch the most prominent franchise in town.
Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp
Training camp battles will always draw attention. The competition for both starting safety positions and the right guard spot in between franchise legends Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce will be the most impactful.
Nick Sirianni and the coaching staff will have their eyes on Cam Jurgens vs. Tyler Steen, Sydney Brown vs. Terrell Edmunds vs. (Ed) Reed Blankenship, and even a potential... punter battle.
However, the real draw of training camp and the NFL preseason is the lure of a looming season. As much as football fans like to write off the storylines, they’ll still slurp them up as quickly as an ice-cold beer at a tailgate before the home opener.
Remember the dates when you’ll overreact to every detail that comes out of daily practices in anticipation of the defense of an NFC Championship and a quest to avenge the sour taste of a Super Bowl loss against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Training Camp Begins- July 25
The days at Lehigh University are over. An excellent tradition that included several other stops throughout franchise history ended in 2013.
Modern accommodations at the Nova Care Complex provide a sensible option for professional athletes, but some fans do miss the excitement of a late-summer trip to Eagles training camp (especially the ones who don't have the opportunity to see regular-season games in an era when tickets are in such high demand).
However, you'll see the practice notes, injury updates, and press conference takeaways from your favorite Eagles beat reporters beginning on Tuesday, July 25.
Open Practice- August 6
Philadelphia fans still have one opportunity to watch the team live during training camp.
Eagles Training Camp Public Practice presented by Independence Blue Cross will take place at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, August 6 at 7 pm.
Tickets are $10, and proceeds benefit the Eagles Autism Foundation.
Before you say that open practice has never mattered, remember that Nelson Agholor was public enemy number one entering the 2017 season. The roaring crowd at the Linc cheered Agholor on August 14, 2017, and the confidence he built as a preseason star actually mattered.
Agholor became a dangerous game-breaker throughout one of the most memorable seasons in Philadelphia sports history.
Preseason Opener- August 12
The Eagles will head south on I-95 for the preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, August 12.
Most Eagles fans have two immediate reactions when they hear Eagles-Ravens preseason.
The first: the cringy moment when the organization canceled a game because of sloppy field conditions at Veterans Stadium. The second: when the era of Terrell Owens in midnight green started with an 81-yard bomb from Donovan McNabb.
Eagles-Browns Joint Practices- Week of August 14-17
The Eagles will hold joint practices with the Cleveland Browns the week leading up to Philadelphia's second preseason game.
The teams have not announced the official dates. Whatever you do, please don't buy into the notion of "winning" a joint practice.
Preseason Home Opener- August 17
The Eagles will take the field at the Linc in front of the home crowd against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, August 17.
It's not clear yet which starters will dress. It could be the first chance that fans have to watch (backup) Marcus Mariota after the Eagles have finally...done the deal.
Mariota provides a serviceable option behind Jalen Hurts, but his legacy in franchise history probably won't change.
Preseason Finale- August 24
The NFL preseason finale isn't the most dazzling football you'll ever watch.
However, Eagles fans can still point to one of the most impactful final roster decisions in franchise history as a reason why the game can actually matter.
Corey Clement snuck onto the 2017 roster and later went for 100 yards in Super Bowl LII.
The Birds wrap up the preseason at home on Thursday, August 24 against the Indianapolis Colts at 8 pm.
Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesFinal Cuts- August 29
NFL teams trim the rosters from 90 to 53 on August 29.
The announced rosters, however, don't always last until opening day. Surprise cuts frequently find ways onto other rosters in the final days of August or early September.
Gregory Shamus/Getty Images"Hard Knocks" Premiere- ???
Why has Hard Knocks taken so long to get off the ground?
We finally found out that the New York Jets will be the featured team. As Adam Schefter told The John Kincade Show last week, HBO usually has boots on the ground at team facilities weeks before training camp.
At some point, you'll see what Pat Egan considers the one thing "scratching the football itch that's missing in our lives" late in the summer. Hard Knocks has aired on Tuesday nights in most past seasons.
Eagles Opener- September 10
This day can't come soon enough.
You can wash the hype away on Sunday, September 10 when the Eagles visit Foxborough to face the New England Patriots.
Nothing would wash away the anxiety of preseason like spoiling a ceremony honoring Tom Brady's jersey retirement.
The John Kincade Show
Watch The John Kincade Show streaming live on the 97.5 The Fanatic YouTube page on weekday mornings from 6am-10am.
