Titans will exercise Marcus Mariota’s 5th-year option

Jon Robinson just announced on The Midday 180 that the Titans will be exercising Marcus Mariota’s 5th-year option. That option is for the 2019 season. This comes as no surprise, but they hadn’t made it official until today.

If you aren’t familiar, all first round rookies sign a 4-year deal with a team option for the 5th year. That is what Taylor Lewan is currently playing under for the 2018 season, but it is widely expected that the Titans will try to work a long-term deal with him before the season starts. It will most likely make him the highest paid left tackle in the NFL.

There was never a doubt the Titans would pick up the option on Mariota. They could start to work on a long-term deal with the quarterback, but my guess is they won’t do that until next offseason. When they do that, he will probably be the highest paid player in the NFL for a little bit. Some people may not think that he has earned that yet, but that is just the way it works in today’s NFL, and hopefully he will put up a season in 2018 that removes doubt from everyone that he is the franchise guy.