After standoff that has lasted weeks, Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans have finally agreed to terms on a contract just before the start of training camp.
Here are some details from ESPN:
Quarterback Marcus Mariota, the last unsigned first-round draft pick, inked a deal with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday, the team announced.
The sides had been at odds over offset language, which allows a team to recapture guaranteed money if a player is released and signs with another team. The Titans and Mariota agreed to partial offset language, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Caplan.
“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 general manager Ruston Webster said in a statement released by the team. “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.”
Mariota thanked the Titans and his agent in the statement.
“I am very grateful and honored to have this opportunity. I look forward to the future with my teammates, and I’m truly excited to be part of this team,” he said.
While it isn’t surprising that Mariota and the Titans came to terms on a deal, it was rather surprising that it took this long to strike a deal. Teams across the league are reporting for training camp within the next couple of weeks, and given that Mariota is a pretty important part of the Titans’ future you would think this would have been put to bed awhile ago.