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Gardner Minshew: 3 predictions for the 2020 season

By David Levin

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 08: Gardner Minshew #15 of the Jacksonville Jaguars throws a pass in the first half during a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 08, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 08: Gardner Minshew #15 of the Jacksonville Jaguars throws a pass in the first half during a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 08, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images) /
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JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 08: Brandon Linder #65 of the Jacksonville Jaguars prepares for a play against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first quarter at TIAA Bank Field on December 08, 2019, in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Harry Aaron/Getty Images) /

Will the Jacksonville Jaguars get an improved performance from starting quarterback Gardner Minshew in 2020?

How far will the legend of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew take this team in 2020? Only as far as the supporting cast will allow him this coming season.

After six wins and plenty of hope for the future, can the youngster take another leap forward, with all the “mania” surrounding his as one of the NFL’s most colorful characters? Can he become a dominant starter, erasing some of the issues he suffered through in his rookie season?

The fans here in Jacksonville hope so. Head coach Doug Marrone wants that to be the case. Anything less than success this season, meaning more than six wins, will be viewed as a failure given the circumstances of his entry into the NFL and how he quarterbacked this team to all their victories in 2019.

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This season isn’t just a little different – it’s a lot different. Head coach Doug Marrone understands he needs to see more out of Minshew this season.

"“Obviously, we want to see a big jump,” Marrone said on March 31 when he met with many of the local media in an interview via Zoom. “We’re excited for him. It’s a great opportunity. He’s not going to change the way he is. He’s a hard-working kid who has a lot of potential. We’ve got to make sure everyone around him is doing their job and doing it at a high level.”"

That wasn’t always the case last season as injuries to the tight ends and a lack of continuity at times on the offensive line left the rookie struggling to improvise while on the move outside the pocket.

It’s a different season with a roster that is definitely not the same Gardner Minshew worked with just a few short months ago.

The Jaguars walk into the NFL Draft with just two quarterbacks on the roster. Joshua Dobbs has been praised by the coaching staff for his ability to pick up the system and his work in practice. Fans have not seen him throw a pass yet in a game that counts. Should the starter go down, the season could either fall apart or the backup could salvage it until Minshew returns.

And with that comes plenty of questions no one inside TIAA Bank Field will want to deal with.
For now, it’s Gardner Minshew who is the face of this organization. Hopefully, the second act will be better than the first. The jump from Year 1 to Year 2 in the NFL is the most important for players. The Jaguars must believe in their starter to keep the quarterback room as it is.

Here are three predictions for the coming season with the 23-year-old under center in 2020 for the Jaguars.

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