Marcus Mariota signs a million-dollar contract with the Washington Commanders

The team is spending big to bolster its offense.

WASHINGTON Marcus Mariota is headed to the Commanders in Washington. Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels might be the next?

The Commanders’ decision to select Mariota on Tuesday as a veteran backup quarterback may be a hint about their intentions for the NFL draft and the route they want to take the position in the future.

Mariota and Washington reached an agreement on a one-year contract that includes a $6 million base salary with potential upside of $10 million, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The individual spoke to The Associated Press under pseudonymity because the contract isn’t official until Wednesday, when the new league season begins.

Since being drafted, Mariota, 30, has made appearances in 90 NFL games and started 74 for four different clubs. last season, most recently filling in as Jalen Hurts’ backup in Philadelphia, was selected with the second pick in the 2015 draft.

The 30-year-old Oregon product’s addition raises the possibility that Washington may select a quarterback with the No. 2 pick this year. Prospects like as Maye from North Carolina and Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner from LSU, are anticipated to be available if Chicago selects Caleb Williams of Southern California first.

The Commanders could select a quarterback in the draft and choose to retain Mariota and Sam Howell as starters in 2023.

After signing a one-year contract with Washington on Tuesday, veteran tight end Zach Ertz stated, “Obviously, I have no idea what the decision is going to be.” “Developing a team is a year-round endeavor,

Therefore, on September 10 or at the time of the first game, whatever they decide today might not be the final decision.

According to a second source with knowledge of the matter, defensive end Clelin Ferrell and the Commanders reached an agreement on a one-year contract. A fourth individual claimed to have reached an agreement with edge rusher Dante Fowler, while a third claimed to have struck a deal with guard Nick Allegretti on a $16 million, three-year contract with $9.02 million guaranteed.

Because the contracts aren’t official until Wednesday, they also spoke to the AP under anonymity. The same is true of Jeremy Chinn’s safety agreement, which his agency verified on social media.

The Commanders also decided to sign center Tyler Biadasz, running back Austin Ekeler, defensive lineman Dorance Armstrong, linebacker Frankie Luvu, and kicker Brandon McManus since the free agent negotiation window started on Monday. All of this is a part of coach Dan Quinn and new general manager Adam Peters’ retooling attempt.

Ferrell, who turns 27 in May, had 3 1/2 sacks and 17 starts for the 49ers in the previous campaign. He was the Raiders’ fourth-round selection in the 2019 draft, and he has played in 75 games for Oakland/Las Vegas and San Francisco.

The vacuum left by dealing Chase Young and Montez Sweat before the deadline in October is filled in part by Ferrell and Armstrong. Allegretti and Biadasz are a part of a revamp of the offensive line.

Allegretti is 28 years old. replaced the Kansas City Chiefs, who had won the Super Bowl, when starting player Joe Thuney was sidelined by an injury during the playoffs the following month. Due to a ruptured ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow, he was unable to play for around half of the Super Bowl.

On the offensive line, there is still a lot of work to be done, including finding a left tackle replacement. At that position, Washington has two second-round picks (Nos. 36 and 40) and two third-round picks (Nos. 67 and 99) in this year’s deep draft.

In a video conference with reporters, Ertz, who finalized his contract last week, stated that the combination of Peters, Quinn, and new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury was the primary reason Washington was a chance he could not refuse. Kingsbury in specifically because Ertz was an Arizona player for him.

I’m thrilled to rejoin his offense and assist this team and organization kind of start from scratch. He’s a man who was one of the best offensive brains I have been around up to this point, and I still feel that way, Ertz said. “I’m excited to watch what he does with these quarterbacks and, I think, the other guys we bring in.”