Jaguars Trade Gardner Minshew to Eagles For a Conditional 6th
Minshew Mania has officially come to an end in Jacksonville.
After two seasons (and three training camps) as one of the premier faces of the Jaguars franchise, Gardner Minshew II will now get a chance to build his legend for another team, with the Jaguars announcing Saturday that Minshew was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.
According to multiple reports, the Jaguars traded Minshew for a conditional 2022 sixth-round draft selection. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, that pick will become a fifth-round selection if Minshew plays in 50% of the offensive snaps in three games for the Eagles in 2021.
The trading of Minshew comes just four days after Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer named Trevor Lawrence the team's starting quarterback over Minshew. Minshew and Lawrence split first-team reps in practice for the entirety of training camp, with Meyer continually saying that Lawrence had to "earn" the role. Now, just days later, the player Lawrence competed with has been dealt for a late Day 3 pick.
With Minshew no longer competing for the No. 1 job, Meyer said the team's No. 2 quarterback position was open between him and C.J. Beathard. Now, it is clear that role will go to Beathard.
"Obviously, my respect for Gardner [Minshew II] has been well documented as just a warrior. Then Gardner got stuck behind some protection issues, at times [he] was running for his life back there," Meyer said on Wednesday about Minshew.
"Then C.J. [Beathard] came in, that’s two weeks in a row. I just admire C.J., and I like C.J. as a person. He has a nice release ball, gets out fast. He played well, so yes that’s open as well.”
Minshew, who was selected by Tom Coughlin and Dave Caldwell in the sixth-round (No. 178 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft, started 20 games for the Jaguars over two seasons, including a rookie year in which he went 6-6 as a starter and won the job over Nick Foles at mid-season.
Minshew started eight games during Jacksonville's 1-15 season last year, going 1-7 as a starter and throwing 16 touchdowns to just five interceptions. A hand injury, however, forced him off the field and he was later benched for Mike Glennon after returning.
Minshew finishes his Jaguars' career with 37 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 5,530 yards passing (6.9 yards per attempt) with a 62.9% completion rate.
I didn’t know Minshew. I knew his coach very well, Mike Leach. I don’t say we got off to a bad start, but I just didn’t see very much of him," Meyer said on Aug. 12.
"But he’s earned my respect. I love that guy. He’s a warrior competitor, he’s a fighter. I told him that. I just have great respect for Minshew. He brings it every day now, every day.”
