Jacksonville Jaguars drop one spot in NFL Media’s quarterback index

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ quarterback situation is filled with uncertainty.

Before the season started, it was easy to think that sophomore quarterback Gardner Minshew II was going to be winning some games for the Jacksonville Jaguars at this point of the year. Instead, the Washington State standout is out after finding out that he’s got multiple fractures and a strained ligament in his right thumb.

Not all is lost though, as the ‘Jags’ are giving the keys of their offense to first-year quarterback Jake Luton and will get the starting nod against the Houston Texans in Week 9. This was a good development because the team’s brass could have gone with veteran Mike Glennon but decided to bet on the potential of their 2020 sixth-round selection.

After all, Luton threw for 2,714 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just three interceptions in his last year with the Oregon State Beavers. Putting aside the quarterback’s collegiate record, fans should be excited about the prospect of a late-round quarterback starting for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Just last year, a then-unknown Garder Minshew took over a struggling Nick Foles and made the Jaguars offense his own. Although the team finished the year with a 6-10 record and in the cellar of the AFC South, there were reasons for optimism with Minshew at the helm.

In the end, the hope did not materialize and the Jaguars sit at 1-6, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to wave the white flag. Luton could provide a spark to this Jacksonville team’s offense and make up ground in the division.

How does the move to Jake Luton impact the Jacksonville Jaguars QB Index?

The Jaguars ranked 22nd in NFL Media’s latest QB Index. They point out that Minshew has stumbled upon a surprising crossroads in his sophomore season and that he may not see another starting gig without competing for it first. On the other hand, they praise Luton’s physical attributes and bring up his TD-to-INT ratio at Oregon State and talk about him as a possible upgraded base on his measurables.

We have to see how Luton deals with the rigors of the NFL before we can make a fair assessment of the rookie quarterback, but Jaguars fans should be excited about the team’s sixth-round selection having success. It already happened last year, and it can happen again.