We hate to say we told you so. No, that isn't true. Sometimes, we don't mind telling you we told you so. This is one of those times. We didn't need to see training camp or the preseason. We didn't need to see him take a single snap during a regular-season game. We told you Marcus Mariota in a Philadelphia Eagles jersey would lead to nothing. Frankly, we can't figure out why so many of you couldn't draw that conclusion and why you were so angry when we told you he didn't have much to offer.
Sure, we saw him win the Heisman Trophy, but that was a long time ago. We saw him complete the pass to himself in Tennessee during that playoff game versus the Chiefs. That, however, was also a long time ago. Recent memories of Mariota include his benching with those same Titans, a forgettable run with the Las Vegas Raiders, and whatever that was in Atlanta with the Falcons. Wait! Didn't he quit on the team or something?
The point is this. Philly wasn't in any better shape with Marcus Mariota as their backup than when Gardner Minshew was QB2. 'The Mustache' left during the 2023 offseason to join the Colts and is now a member of the same Raider roster that Mariota once sat on. Marcus is now a member of the hated Washington Commanders. Philly? They have turned the page, and guess what? Some believe they have upgraded.
Pickett, a former first-rounder, fell out of favor with the Pittsburgh Steelers after two seasons. The Steelers added Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to fill the void. Philly may have had better options, but who knows? Working under Kellen Moore, Doug Nussmeier, and Kevin Patullo may do the former Pitt Panther some good.
Rounding out the CBS Sports' top ten were the aforementioned Steelers (Fields), NY Jets (Tyrod Taylor), L.A. Rams (Jimmy Garoppolo), San Francisco 49ers (Joshua Dobbs), Cleveland Browns (Jameis Winston), Carolina Panthers (Andy Dalton), and Seattle Seahawks (Sam Howell).
Philly inked Jalen Hurts to a five-year contract extension worth $255 million with $180 million guaranteed on April 17, 2023. He's eligible for free agency in 2029.
Some may agree that Kenny Pickett's acquisition places the Birds in a better position at the backup quarterback spot than they were in with Minshew and Mariota. Some may also disagree.
Pickett may have a higher ceiling than both. Who knows? Time will tell, but for now, there's a comfort in knowing the Birds have some insurance.
