3 former Jacksonville Jaguars we'd like to see return in 2024

1. Gardner Minshew, quarterback

Moments of joy were few and far between for the Jaguars in the 2010s. That's why Gardner Minshew became a fan favorite and took the league by storm as soon as he stepped in to replace an ineffective Nick Foles in 2019. Although he only managed to win just six games as a rookie, he gave the Jags a legitimate spark. The win over the then-Oakland Raiders at the Alameda Coliseum was probably the highlight of the season.

Then came the 2020 season, and with it, lots of losing. At one point, Minshew was benched, partly because he concealed an injury, and said injury hindered his performance. He briefly got his job back but once again lost it. Once the Jaguars secured the No. 1 pick, his future in Jacksonville was put in doubt.

Trevor Lawrence was seen as the consensus top pick in the draft, and maybe the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck. The Jaguars weren't going to pass up the chance to take him, and they didn't. While Gardner Minshew remained on the roster, he made it clear he wanted to have a chance to compete for a starting job. He wasn't going to get it in Jacksonville, so he was shipped to the Philadelphia Eagles before the start of the 2021 season.

After two seasons in Philly, Minshew followed his offensive coordinator-turned head coach Shane Steichen to the Indianapolis Colts in 2023. While he was expected to be the backup behind Anthony Richardson, he was pressed into action when Richardson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.

All things considered, Minshew fared well, and kept the Colts on the brink of the playoffs, compiling a 6-4 record along the way. While the former Washington State Cougar won't get a top-market contract, he would be a solid stopgap quarterback for teams who will take a passer early in the draft. Similarly, he would be a great backup in Jacksonville.

The Jags already have a QB2 in C.J. Beathard, so they won't probably go into free agency looking for a replacement. That said, Minshew would be a huge upgrade, one fans would cheer for if he ever returned to Jacksonville.

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