Mariota, Titans Finally Agree On Rookie Deal

Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans have finally agreed on the terms on the quarterback’s rookie contract after delays because of offset provisions in the deal. Mariota was the final first rounder in the 2015 NFL Draft who was signed to a contract.

“We are glad to have the deal with Marcus done, and I’d like to thank both Marcus and his representatives for their diligence in working with us to finalize this contract,” Titans Executive Vice President and General Manager Ruston Webster said in a statement.

“We were confident that Marcus would be under contract before training camp, and we look forward to him starting his career on time with his teammates when we open camp next week. This is an exciting time for the Tennessee Titans organization, and we look forward to a bright future.”

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Mariota and the Titans included “partial offsets” on the contract agreement. The offset language will allow the Titans financial flexibility should Mariota move to another NFL squad.

“We’ve always had offset language in our player contracts. It’s nothing new,” Titans interim CEO and President Steve Underwood said in another report before signing Mariota.

Mariota, 21, is one of the top quarterback draft prospects since he won the 2014 Heisman Trophy while playing college football. In three years at Oregon, he accumulated 10,796 passing yards on 779 of 1,167 completions with 105 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

The Titans are hoping to rebound from a disappointing season when they finished with a 2-14 win-loss record. The Tennessee franchise has not made the NFL postseason since 2008.