Jaguars QB room may not undergo significant changes for now

The Jacksonville Jaguars have probably earmarked the first overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft to take Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, so it will be interesting what they decide to do with Gardner Minshew in the long run. For the moment, it seems like the third-year quarterback will stay with the team.

Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer said in a recent sit-down with the local media that the team isn’t planning to trade Minshew “at this point” and no decision has been made. He added that he recently met with the Washington State product and believes the quarterback has done good things in Jacksonville. Meyer later described him as a “competitive maniac”, which is something he appreciates about him.

This news came after Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that teams were inquiring with the Jaguars “about how available Minshew was“. This doesn’t come as a surprise as Lawrence would become Jacksonville’s top quarterback in the depth chart while Minshew would most likely be relegated to backup duties.

While Minshew’s days as a starting quarterback in Jacksonville are probably over, he could be a top-tier backup, having appeared in 23 games with 20 starts and going 501-of-797 for 5,530 yards with 37 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

What should the Jacksonville Jaguars do with Gardner Minshew?

As Meyer pointed out, the Jaguars have no plans to move on from Minshew right now, but things could change at any time, especially if a team makes an offer they can’t reject. On the other hand, the third-year quarterback still has two years left on his rookie and offers an affordable alternative, as he’s set to make $1.81 million over the next two years. This is a bargain when you consider that signal-callers such as Andy Dalton and Ryan Fitzpatrick will be making $10 million in 2021.

The Jags recently brought in C.J. Beathard for a tryout, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. This doesn’t move the needle much. The team’s brass might just be performing due diligence and in the best-case scenario, sign the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback to add depth to their quarterback room.

While the Jaguars could eventually decide to trade Minshew, there is some value in keeping him, as it may be difficult to find an adequate replacement for him in free agency. On the bright side, they have options and either one would likely have a good outcome.