The Washington Commanders have relied more on quarterback Marcus Mariota this season than they probably wanted. He was an influential figure behind the scenes in 2024, but several frustrating injuries to Jayden Daniels thrust him into a prominent on-field role.
Mariota acquitted himself well. Things ended sourly due to a hand injury that will likely keep him out once again in Week 18, but he can look back on his efforts with an enormous sense of pride overall.
This might not go unnoticed by teams around the league looking for a bridge quarterback in 2026. Mariota is a free agent this spring, and although the Commanders would probably love to have him back for a third campaign, the chance to potentially start again could be too tempting to ignore this time around.
Commanders could lose Marcus Mariota in free agency, and one expert had the perfect landing spot
Matthew Davis from Heavy thought the Kansas City Chiefs represent the perfect landing spot for Mariota. They need a fill-in until Patrick Mahomes is ready to return from his torn ACL. Even so, they would need to ease some severe salary-cap complications to make this scenario a reality.
"Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes could return at some point next season after his recent ACL tear, but the team will at least want a strong backup behind him — especially one with ample starting experience. He [Marcus Mariota] could give the Chiefs a solid dual-threat starter next season to avoid rushing Mahomes back on the field. The catch will be making room for Mariota under the Chiefs’ salary cap. Kansas City is projected for $39.68 million over the salary cap, and Mariota’s annual asking price is $8.66 million per year, based on Spotrac."Matthew Davis, Heavy.com
This makes a lot of sense from the Chiefs' perspective. The perennial Super Bowl challenger is about to go through a period of transition. Legendary tight end Travis Kelce may retire, and Mahomes will be on the shelf for months. Much will depend on the AFC West club's ambitions, but Mariota would be a capable fill-in if head coach Andy Reid believes they can return to contention quickly.
In an ideal world, Mahomes would return sooner than expected. Rushing him doesn't seem wise, and there would be no need to do so if Mariota came into the fold on a short-term deal.
That would remove one of the Commanders' best backups. There aren't many who would begrudge Mariota the chance to be a starter at this late stage of his career. Still, Daniels' injury problems throughout the campaign make it necessary to find a quality understudy if the former Oregon star does take his chances elsewhere.
It's one of several intriguing storylines to watch during the offseason. But make no mistake; the Commanders cannot get left short.