Should the Raiders Trade Marcus Mariota to the Indianapolis Colts?

The Indianapolis Colts star quarterback Carson Wentz is reportedly out with a foot injury he suffered at the end of Thursday’s practice. The former number two overall pick went in for testing to determine the extent of his injuries.

During Thursday’s practice, Wentz dropped back under pressure from defensive tackle Andrew Brown and eventually rolled out to finish the play, and as he was rolling out, he felt something in his foot. “He got hurt during a team period when he was rolling out,” says Offensive Coordinator Marcus Brady. “[He] Planted to go throw and felt a little twinge in his foot.”

If Wentz is out for the season, should the Colts consider trading for Mariota, who has one year remaining on his contract?

The timeframe of Wentz’s injury would likely play a big factor in the Colts offering anything for the Raider’s backup quarterback. If he is able to make it back anytime before week 7, the Colts might be able to stick it out with youngster Jacob Eason or veteran Brett Hundley.

However, if Carson isn’t able to make it back, Marcus Mariota presents a great opportunity for the Colts. In his only game last season, Mariota stepped in with 13 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, and he was electric in that game. He finished the game 17-28, 226 yards passing, 1 TD to 1 INT, and 88 yards on 9 carries and 1 TD on the ground.

If both teams wanted to make this happen, a few options could be considered:

If the Raiders are serious about a playoff push, it might make sense to keep Mariota on the roster. “It’s an ‘all or nothing mentality,” running back Josh Jacobs said after training camp practice on Saturday. “It’s definitely been different. But you can see it from the team. [Derek Carr] started practice over because guys weren’t getting it right.

“It’s definitely a different type of feeling. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself or nothing like that, but I just like the way that the guys are working right now.”

As the Raiders learned in 2016, a backup quarterback is very valuable. The Eagles went on to win a Superbowl with a good backup, so the Raiders would be wise to think about the long term, especially since Mariota is on a term-friendly deal.