Benched QB Marcus Mariota released by Falcons in salary cap savings move

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The Atlanta Falcons have released veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota, the team announced on Tuesday.

The roster move opens up additional cap room for a team that was already projected to the have the second most salary cap space in the NFL. Mariota signed a two-year deal with Atlanta during the offseason and was named the starting quarterback at the beginning of the season. 

He went on to start 13 games before he was benched in favor of third-round draft pick Desmond Ridder. The rookie went on to start for the final four games of the season.

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Marcus Mariota of the Atlanta Falcons attempts a pass against the Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Nov. 10, 2022, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Shortly after he learned that he would no longer be starting, Mariota stepped away from the team. It was later announced that Mariota underwent a procedure on his knee and as a result he was placed on injured reserve.

At the time, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said Mariota's absence wasn't ideal, but noted that the team was prepared to be without him.

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"Of course, you want all your guys to be here, but guys have to make decisions. It’s part of professional sports. You have to have contingency plans," Smith said in December.

Cutting the former Heisman Trophy winner will result in an estimated $2.5 million in dead-money being added to the Falcons cap for 2023, but it also saves the team approximately $12 million.

If Mariota remained on the Falcons roster on the fifth day of the NFL's new league