Trevor Lawrence is entrenched as the top quarterback on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ depth chart. The team hasn’t officially declared him the starter but it’s just a matter of time before they will. Even though Minshew has worked with the ones, there’s no scenario where the Jags would choose him over Lawrence.
Jaguars Head coach Urban Meyer recently told the local media that the Clemson product hasn’t done enough to earn the starting job but once he does, he will get all the first-team reps. When asked what Lawrence is missing, Meyer simply said, “competition and performance“. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests there may be another reason why Minshew is still working with the first team.
"While there’s a chance it’s a legitimate contest (Lawrence seemed to perform better on Saturday night against the Browns), the better explanation is that the Jaguars are perplexed that they’ve yet to get a decent trade offer for Minshew, and that they’re showcasing him a bit."
Minshew could definitely help several teams. He is one of the NFL’s best backup quarterbacks and has shown he can start, so there should definitely be interest in him. On the other hand, he’s too valuable for the Jaguars. The 2019 sixth-round selection is one of the best backups in the NFL and it wouldn’t make sense to trade him for a late-round draft pick. It’s possible that the Jags are waiting for the right offer but no team has caved in.
In his article, Florio mentions almost a dozen possible landing spots for Minshew. Here are the three that make the most sense.
Potential landing spot for Gardner Minshew No. 1 – Detroit Lions
This is not the first time the Detroit Lions have popped up on a list of potential landing spots for Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew. So why does Motor City make sense as a trade destination for him?
The Lions sent long-time starter Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for two first-round selections and Jared Goff earlier this year. You could argue that the main appeal of the trade was the draft picks and Goff was the icing on the cake.
Still, Detroit still needs someone to play quarterback for them and Goff may not be the answer at the position. Although he has the endorsement of coach Mark Brunell, the Lions should continue to look for ways to upgrade the position. After all, it looks like the two-time Pro Bowl nod peaked a couple of years ago and has been good-not-great over the last two seasons, throwing “just” 42 touchdowns and 29 interceptions.
Goff might turn out to be just fine but the Lions should consider bringing in someone that could push him. That’s where Minshew comes in. The Washington State product wants the chance to compete for a starting job and Detroit may give offer him the best chance to do so.
Let’s say Goff ends up showing out in 2021, Minshew would still be a solid backup. David Blough, Tim Boyle, and Jordan Ta’amu are currently the other quarterbacks on the Lions’ roster. Minshew is certainly a better option than them.
Potential landing spot for Gardner Minshew No. 2 – Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys already have a starting quarterback in Dak Prescott. However, the two-time Pro Bowler missed a good chunk of the 2020 season with an ankle fracture. Then, he suffered a muscle strain in his right shoulder. Head coach Mike McCarthy said there’s a good chance won’t probably play in any preseason games.
When healthy, Prescott is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. However, the Cowboys likely want to err on the side of caution. The 2016 fourth-round pick signed a four-year contract worth $160 million this offseason and Dallas will likely see a return in their investment. Thus, it doesn’t make sense to rush his recovery and force him to play in Week 1 of the regular season if he isn’t fully healthy.
Adam Schefter of ESPN said during the broadcast of the Chiefs versus Cardinals Week 2 preseason game that Prescott is “not fully back. He may not be back all season long“. If that’s the cause, Dallas might not want to expose him to further injury. The problem is that they may not have anyone else to turn to. Ben DiNucci, Cooper Rush, and Garrett Gilbert are currently behind Prescott on the depth chart and none is an appealing option.
This is where Gardner Minshew could come in handy. If Prescott had to miss time, the former Cougar could step in for him and the dropoff in production wouldn’t be as steep. Also, the Cowboys wouldn’t have to worry about Prescott’s recovery timeline.
Potential landing spot for Gardner Minshew No. 3 – Philadelphia Eagles
Just like the Dallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Eagles already have a starting quarterback. The difference is that Dak Prescott is arguably a top 5 passer (when healthy) while Jalen Hurts hasn’t yet shown he’s the long-term answer at the position in Philly.
Hurts has certainly shown potential. He missed the Eagles’ Week 2 preseason game against the New England Patriots with an illness. Philly chose to sit him, which was the right thing to do knowing they lost 35-0. Having said that, the “Birds” may be interested in giving their quarterback room a boost.
Backup Joe Flacco got the start versus the Pats and struggled to move the ball and put points on the scoreboard. In fact, he hasn’t done much of note over the last few years of his career and the Eagles are his fourth team in as many years. Philly is surely hoping Hurts stays healthy in 2021, as they may be hesitant to rely on Flacco.
Then again, if the Eagles want to upgrade their quarterback situation, all they have to do is call the Jaguars. This wouldn’t be the first time they inquire about Gardner Minshew’s availability though. Mia O’Brien of First Coast News recently confirmed that Philly showed interest in him earlier this year and there was even a deal in place but it ultimately fell apart.
It’s uncertain what Philadelphia was offering in exchange for Minshew but it’s clear the Jags didn’t like the proposal. Otherwise, they would have accepted. If the Eagles want to resume trade talks, they may need to sweeten the deal. A late-round selection won’t get it done, so how about a second or even a third-round selection. How about tight end Zach Erz?