Mahalo Marcus

Best QB under 25?

KICKOFF COVERAGE’S HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: WEEK 5

Titans WRs could gain more YAC with Marcus Mariota’s accurate arm 

Tennessee Titans wide receivers could gain more yards after the catch (YAC) this season because of rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota and his accurate throws, ESPN.com reports.

The Titans were 24th in the league in yards after the catch last season, but with Mariota under center that can all change.

“If you have an accurate quarterback, it allows us to get more yards after that catch,” wide receiver Harry Douglas said. “And that’s one thing that makes a receiver dynamic — first being able to catch the ball and then being able to do some things with it after you catch it. I feel like [to this point] Marcus has done everything he needs to do to get the ball to his receivers.”

Wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson previously noted that Mariota had been “deadly accurate” during OTAs

“No. 1, it’s his accuracy,” Jefferson said. “No. 2, he’s come in and grasped the offense. And No. 3 is the way the guys respond to him, the way he’s able to go in that huddle and take control. … I am just giddy about his future going forward.”

But completion percentage and YAC don’t necessarily correlate, which punches a hole into that theory.

Only two teams ranked in the top five in both categories the NFL last year.

The Steelers had a very good offense last year, ranking second overall, second in passing and 16th in rushing. Pittsburgh was a good third-down team with a 44.7-percent conversion rate. The Steelers averaged 27.3 points a game.

But the other team that was good at both completion percentage and YAC was not a good offense.

The Washington Redskins ranked 13th in offense, 11th in passing and 19th in rushing. It converted third downs at a 31.5-percent rate and averaged only 18.8 points a game.

The Titans would certainly like a better completion percentage and more yards after the catch.

Marcus Mariota on being unsigned: “My agent is going to do his job”

Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota is the only unsigned 2015 first-round draft pick. But that isn’t enough to concern him about the possibility of missing time in training camp.

“It’s the furthest thing from my mind,” Mariota told NFL.com at the NFL Rookie Symposium on Wednesday. “My agent is going to do his job. He’s going to do whatever it takes. It’s a business deal (and) it takes some time. … I’m sure it will work out.”

When asked if missing any training camp could stunt his development, Mariota stressed that any decision like that is a “long ways off.”

Titans G.M. Ruston Webster has acknowledged that it’s possible Mariota could miss a few days of training camp if the two sides can’t come to a deal, which suggests that the Titans and Mariota’s representatives are most likely battling over if the Heisman winner’s contract will include offset language that protects the team if Mariota gets cuts then signs with another team during his four-year rookie deal.

Marcus Mariota hopes to find balance between studying, rest before training camp

Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota loves playing football and calls playing in the NFL a privilege.

Still, the rookie is ready for a break.

Mariota wrapped up his first NFL offseason on Thursday with the final day of the Titans’ three-day minicamp and six weeks of work learning a new offense and new teammates.

He now faces six weeks before the Titans report July 30 for training camp, and Mariota said Wednesday he plans to find a balance between studying and resting.

“Getting my head in the playbook, going over film over the past month or so of what we’ve been able to do and just kind of relaxing,” Mariota said.

“It’s been a long six, seven months for me since I ended my college season and even leading up to that. So just relaxing and getting ready for training camp.”

Before Mariota reported to Tennessee as the No. 2 pick overall from Oregon, the Heisman Trophy winner had the grind of preparing for the NFL draft.

Mariota has been so busy he says he hasn’t planned a vacation yet, though when home is in Hawaii a trip back to the islands is likely.

The Titans have made it very clear they expect the rookie to start the season Sept. 13 when they visit Tampa Bay and Jameis Winston, who was the No. 1 pick in the draft.

So wherever Mariota goes, head coach Ken Whisenhunt is confident the rookie still will be studying regularly and will be ready for training camp. The coach said Mariota has a good balance between family and work so that the break will not be an issue.

“He’s driven to be good from what I’ve seen,” Whisenhunt said. “He works really hard at the game whether it’s technique things, whether it’s studying. A lot of times with guys at that position that are really good I don’t care what you say to them, they’re always going to work on it, and that’s what you see in Marcus.”

Mariota’s last big break from football came last summer before his final year at Oregon where he racked up awards and victories. He threw for 4,454 yards and 42 touchdowns in 2014 while running for 770 yards and scoring 15 more TDs.

That’s the kind of production the Titans hope he brings to their offense after going 2-14 last season.

How the 6-foot-4, 219-pound quarterback adapts from the spread offense he played in college to throwing in the NFL remains to be seen. Whisenhunt and the Titans started working some spread plays Mariota ran well at Oregon into their playbook weeks before the draft.

Mariota started work May 11 in Tennessee, and Whisenhunt said they’ve worked Mariota as much as possible under the offseason rules. Mariota also will have his iPad filled with video of all his work this offseason to review as well.

“He’s done a nice job,” Whisenhunt said of the rookie. “You never know for sure what it’s going to be like, but he’s done very well. Obviously, we haven’t done anything in pads or with live rush yet, but as far as handling it, calling plays in the huddling, managing all those things, he’s doing a real nice job.”

Mariota will be taking part in the NFL’s rookie symposium starting Sunday.

Rookie wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham has suggested Mariota could bring all the receivers to Hawaii to throw with before training camp, and the quarterback said with a laugh he’s not opposed to that.

Wide receiver Kendall Wright said the rookie has handled everything the Titans have thrown at him.