Minshew Mania was short-lived in Philadelphia, but that doesn’t mean it won’t continue somewhere else.
The Eagles back-up quarterback will likely be sporting a new team’s jersey next season, with three possible trade destinations on the horizon as the 2022 offseason continues.
AN ATTEMPT AT MINSHEW-DELPHIA
The Eagles acquired Gardner Minshew from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Minshew saw his first start in Week 13 against the New York Jets after Jalen Hurts was out with an ankle injury. The back-up quarterback had a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating through the first half of the game, tying Donovan McNabb with a 93.3 percent first-half completion rate — the highest by an Eagles quarterback in 30 years.
Following a 33-18 win, Minshew attempted to gain the starting role, asking what it would take to take the starting position over Hurts. Already committed to Hurts, head coach Nick Sirianni stated that Jalen would finish the remainder of the season.
Minshew returned for Philadelphia’s last regular-season game against the Dallas Cowboys; a 51-26 loss. In two starts, he completed 41 of 60 passes for 439 passing yards, four touchdowns, and one interception.
THREE POSSIBLE TRADE DESTINATIONS
Though the Eagles have stated Hurts will be the starting quarterback moving into the 2022 season, there remains many unknowns surrounding the topic. Big-name quarterbacks including Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and DeShaun Watson are still possibilities. Not to mention, Philadelphia has ten draft picks, including three first rounders.
In any case, the roster doesn’t leave room for Minshew, opening the possibility for three other trade destinations.
Houston Texans
The Texans are either going to have to reduce their trade demands for DeShaun Watson or cut him, taking on a huge dead cap. Either way, Watson’s legal battles bring too much drama to the table; something Minshew lacks.
With Watson out, Davis Mills played 13 games for 2,664 yards, 16 touchdowns, and ten interceptions. A Minshew-Mills challenge would be interesting.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers had previous interest in Minshew during the 2021 season, with the hope that he would replace Sam Darnold after the quarterback was injured. After the Eagles turned down the deal, the Panthers signed Cam Newton back to the team.
In eight games, Newton had a 54.8 completion percentage, totaling 684 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions. Not great considering Newton only completed 245 more yards than Minshew (in six more games).
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are looking to get rid of Jimmy Garoppolo for the 2022 season, leaving Trey Lance. The rookie quarterback played six games with two starts and may not be entirely ready to carry San Francisco. Minshew brings experience and requires a next-to-nothing salary making him a good option.
