Jaguars Offseason Mailbag: Is Gardner Minshew Being Underrated?

Is Gardner Minshew underrated, which preseason battles can we expect, and more questions in this week's mailbag!

As the 2020 offseason progresses, JaguarReport will take Jacksonville Jaguars-related questions from social media and give our takes on the most pressing questions fans have about their team.

You can send questions to us this offseason via the JaguarReport Twitter or Facebook accounts.

This week we discuss if Gardner Minshew is underrated and why this may be the case, what position battles the Jaguars are facing in 2020, if Keelan Cole should have a larger role, and more.

From @ChevyJas: Chris Simms has Gardner Minshew II rated as his 30th best QB. He was statistically....

1st- Rated Rookie QB

2nd- Rated Scrambling QB (league)

3rd - Rated Deep Passer (league)

4th- Rated Redzone QB (league)

Why so much hate? These analysts truly think he's bad, or can't admit they were wrong?

I am not sure there has been hate for Minshew, just skepticism. The Jaguars are seen by many as the leading candidate to be the worst team in the league this season, so naturally national media is going to be down on whoever is starting at quarterback. Is that fair to Minshew? It isn't, but it is the reality and nature of things. 

Minshew's draft slot likely has a ton to do with it as well, coupled with his skill set. If Minshew was a top-50 pick coming out of college instead of a sixth rounder, there would be less negativity and cautiousness. Minshew was significantly better than New York Giants rookie Daniel Jones last season, but there has been considerably more hype for Jones this offseason because he was a top-10 pick and labeled a franchise quarterback entering the NFL. The fact that Minshew isn't a game-changing dual threat like Kyler Murray athletically and doesn't have a cannon attached to his arm like other young passers likely plays a big factor as well.

From @regtwin23: If Fournette has a great year, would the Jaguars sign him long term? Or has that ship sailed already?

If Fournette can prove to be more impactful than he was last season, he could have a chance to earn a second contract with Jacksonville. While he had over 1,500 scrimmage yards last season, he was far more inefficient than most other top running backs, and the fact he produced as much as he did is almost solely based on opportunity and volume. For Jacksonville to want to invest a second contract into Fournette, they'd need to see him finally produce to the level they were hoping he would when they drafted him with the No. 4 overall pick, which would require more touchdowns, yards per carry, and yards per reception.

Jacksonville has floated Fournette's name in trade talks in the past, but it appears the team is set on entering 2020 with him as their lead back. The ship likely has already sailed on Fournette being on the team past this year, but Fournette could always change that narrative with his play.

From @sikwitit98 : What are the position battles this year?

To me, the tightest position battles will be at left tackle, backup quarterback, and nose tackle.

At left tackle, Cam Robinson will have to distance himself from third-year lineman Will Richardson, who head coach Doug Marrone said earlier this offseason would be moving from right guard to left tackle. Richardson started two games at left tackle in 2019 and, considering the circumstances, didn't play all that poorly. Robinson is a much better run blocker and more physical player, but he has been hampered by injuries and inconsistency as a pass-protector. 

For backup quarterback, Mike Glennon and Josh Dobbs will each have to do their part to convince Doug Marrone to let them be the No. 1 option behind Gardner Minshew II. Each has extended experience as a No. 2 quarterback at the NFL level, but Glennon has more starter experience and has spent time in a similar offensive scheme compared to what Jacksonville will run this year, so he should be seen as the favorite. 

As for nose tackle, the Jaguars legit have three options they could roll with on day one. They could turn to veteran Abry Jones, a leader in the locker room and a long-time student of Todd Wash who has started for Jacksonville in a pinch at the position in the past. Veteran Al Woods, one of the oldest players on the team, is another option to start at nose tackle, and he may be the best one since he played at a high level in the role for the Seahawks in 2020. Finally, third-round rookie DaVon Hamilton offers the most pass-rush upside, though he will need to be developed before he is trusted as a full-time starter. 

From Joseph B: If Yannick Ngakoue plays in 2020, how much will K'Lavon Chaisson see the field?

This is a good question, and I think there is merit to wondering just how much K'Lavon Chaisson would be utilized if Yannick Ngakoue plays for Jacksonville in 2020. Josh Allen simply can not be taken off of the field other than to catch a breather in 2020, so one edge spot is set. As for Ngakoue and Chaisson, Ngakoue is a much better pass-rusher thanks to his NFL experience, and there isn't really any logic that says the Jaguars would be better off playing Chaisson as opposed to Ngakoue. I think it would make sense for the team to let Chaisson serve as the top backup for both Ngakoue and Allen so he can find the field with one or the other, while still giving him a chance to make an impact. 

From Jonathan P: Should Keelan Cole get consideration as a starter this year?

Whether Keelan Cole should start is a hard question to answer considering Chris Conley and Laviska Shenault will also be competing for snaps on the outside. With that said, Cole absolutely should play more in 2020 than he did in 2019. He played only 34% of the snaps last season, and that number should jump by, at least, 10-15% this season due to his solid performance in limited snaps last year.