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The Philip Rivers to the Titans for the #2 pick and Marcus Mariota rumor isn't going away. Rich Eisen of the NFL Network was even talking about this week on the Dan Patrick Show. There are a lot of reasons that it makes sense for Rivers personally. He doesn't want to play in Los Angeles. He likes Tennessee Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt, and he is from this area of the country (Rivers's hometown of Decatur, Alabama is just a couple of hours south of Nashville).
That is why it makes sense for Rivers. Let's look at how feasible it is for the two teams involved:
Why it makes sense for the Chargers
Rivers has made no secret about the fact that he doesn't want to play in Los Angeles- where most people think the Chargers will be moving in the near future. That, reportedly, is a big part of the reason why he hasn't signed an extension with the team (his contract is up at the end of 2015). The Chargers could get good value for him now instead of just receiving a compensatory pick if he walks in free agency or nothing at all if he retires.
Why it doesn't make sense for the Chargers
Rivers is a top 10 QB in the league who is still in his prime. You don't trade that guy away for an unknown like Mariota.
San Diego has quit a few guys that will be playing on the last year of their contract in 2015...guys like Antonio Gates, Ladarius Green, Malcolm Floyd, and Corey Liguet to name a few. The window for this current team is going to close after 2015 with Rivers there. If they trade Rivers, the window is already closed.
Why it makes sense for the Titans
Philip Rivers would be the answer at quarterback that they have been searching for since they locked #9 out of the building after the 2005 season. Top ten QBs very rarely become available via free agency or trade.
You also have the fact that Rivers is a known quantity. He has had a ton of success in the league and a ton of success under Ken Whisenhunt. That's as close to a certainty as you can get in a league where there are no certainties.
No matter how much you love Mariota, you have to admit that he is far from a sure thing.
Why it doesn't make sense for the Titans
The Titans are not just a quarterback away from being a contender. They might be able to trade the #2 pick to another team that could give multiple picks in return that the Titans could then use to re-tool their roster. That could be the better recipe for long-term success.
There is also the fact that Rivers will be 34 this year. He probably only has 3-4 years of being at the top of his game left. Is it worth passing on Mariota, who could be the quarterback for the next 10 years, for a chance at short-term success.
With all of that being said, they have to go get Rivers if he is available. It has been almost 10 years since they had a franchise quarterback, and this league is all about the quarterback. Rivers would make this team significantly better from day one. Add him to the moves they have made in free agency and a couple of solid draft picks and you could have a team that is in the wild card mix as early as this year. That isn't going to happen with a rookie or Zach Mettenberger under center.
