Marcus Mariota might be out the rest of the year
Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota could be the latest of a long list of players to be lost for the year due to injury
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota could be held out for the final two games of his rookie season due to a minor knee sprain, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
#Titans QB Marcus Mariota is believed to have suffered a minor knee sprain, source said. With 2015 waning, might be Mettenberger from here
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 21, 2015
Mariota suffered the injury in the second quarter of Tennessee’s loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, when his knee was twisted underneath him on a sack by linebacker Jamie Collins. The rookie was held out for the rest of the game and went to have an MRI on Monday morning, which fortunately only revealed a minor sprain.
At 3-11 with nothing much to play for, it makes sense for the Titans to hold Mariota out and give the rest of the season to backup Zach Mettenberger. The Titans close out the year with games against the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts.
When he’s been on the field during his rookie season, Mariota has shown some flashes of excellence. The second overall pick has completed 62.2 percent of his passes for 2,818 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Mariota’s speed has been a factor, as he has added 252 yards on the ground, including an electrifying 87-yard score in Week 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
However, injuries have been a bit of a concern for Mariota this season, as he missed two games earlier in the season with a sprained MCL. Fortunately this injury does not appear to be serious, but the knee issues could certainly add up over time.
That continues a pattern of minor knee injuries from college, as Mariota suffered an MCL sprain during his sophomore year at Oregon. While Mariota didn’t miss any time with that MCL sprain, the Titans have to be a little concerned about his knee injury history at this point.
Not helping matters is a Tennessee offensive line that has not done a good job of protecting Mariota. Tennessee has given up 49 sacks this season, tied for the highest total in the NFL. The Titans have a lot of holes to fill before they will be competitive, but have to be thinking about the offensive line with what should be a very high draft pick in 2016.
Hopefully Mariota is able to put the knee injuries behind him and return at full strength next season, as he is one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the league to watch.