3 realistic Marcus Mariota trades the Raiders should make

1. Jettison Mariota to Chicago to save Matt Nagy

The Bears still need a quarterback after missing out on the chance to acquire Carson Wentz. If Matt Nagy wants to save his job in 2021 he needs to find someone to provide an immediate upgrade over what the team got from Mitchell Trubisky last season.

Rolling the dice on reviving Mariota’s career might be the best option left on the table for Chicago. They don’t really have the assets to make a megadeal for Deshaun Watson. Their current first-round pick isn’t high enough to land one of the elite signal-callers in this year’s draft class. Gambling on a former first rounder could be a shrewd move by the Bears’ front office.

Mariota projects to be a great fit for the type of offense Nagy likes to run. He’s got the mobility to threaten opposing defenses on the perimeter. When Trubisky was productive in Chicago, it was largely a product of his ability to make plays outside the pocket.

Ironically, the draft compensation here is only one spot away from the projected Washington trade. The Bears have the No. 84 overall pick to include in a potential Mariota deal. Giving up a third rounder to acquire a decent starter would serve Chicago’s short-term interests very well.