ESPN Speculates on Gardner Minshew's Future
Gardner Minshew and the Indianapolis Colts aren't thinking offseason right now. They're in the middle of a race for the AFC South and an unlikely-playoff spot after a disastrous 2022 season.
While the Colts and Minshew might be focused on the Atlanta Falcons this week, there are a host of teams already looking towards next season. Those teams, and the media who speculates on them, look at Minshew as one of the top-free agent targets of 2024.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano speculated on Minshew's future and think despite interest from other teams, the Colts may just be the right fit for him.
"I know Minshew wants to be a starter again, and he has surely shown this season that he can handle the job. But I also wonder if Indy might be the perfect spot for him," wrote Graziano on ESPN+. "Starting QB Anthony Richardson will still be in his development phase even once he's back and healthy (shoulder) next year, and I think it could be in the Colts' best interests to keep Minshew around in the role they envisioned for him this season. That feels like a win-win, unless there's a team out there willing to promise Minshew a starting job."
There may be a team willing to give Minshew a starting job, including the Colts' next opponent who have yo-yo'd Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke as starters this season. It's Heinicke again by the way, after the Falcons benched Ridder for a second, and most likely final time.
"Minshew has been awesome, but it's hard to see him as more than a high-level No. 2 or a bridge starter at this stage -- a really good one, to be sure," wrote Fowler. "He'd be perfect in a situation where the team drafts a quarterback in the first round but wants to sit that rookie for a year, which I know doesn't happen much anymore."
It didn't happen in Indianapolis this year. Richardson won the starting job in August, but wasn't the starter for very long. He started just-four games this season and only finished one.
Richardson will need to learn how to protect himself before he can be relied on as a starter for the full season. The Colts have had a lot of success this season under Minshew including winning five of their last six games.
They'd be smart to make him an offer he can't refuse with the promise to compete for the starting position again. Minshew is on a one-year, $3.5-million contract. Doubling that would be a good start and still remain affordable.
Gardner Minshew might be smart to take it. Afterall, it does look like the perfect situation for him under head coach Shane Steichen.
