Gardner Minshew has an opportunity to be the starting quarterback with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Gardner Minshew – Quarterback
As the 2023 season ended, fans and media wondered what direction the Las Vegas Raiders would take regarding their quarterback situation. Aidan O’Connell played well at times, but it didn’t stop the Raiders from looking at other options. That brings us to new Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew. The savvy veteran is expected to compete for the starting spot this fall while solidifying himself as a legit starter in the league.
Career Before Las Vegas
Surprisingly, this is Minshew’s sixth season in the NFL. He was drafted in the sixth round in 2019 by the Jacksonville Jaguars out of Washington State. Minshew has an underdog story that can resonate with football fans.
Minshew started his career playing at a Junior College before transferring to East Carolina. After he finished playing for East Carolina he surprisingly was going to transfer to Alabama. That shocked the college football world until days later when he decided to withdraw from Alabama and play for Mike Leach up at Washington State. He excelled in Leach’s air raid offense where he threw for 4,779 yards with 38 touchdowns.
There’s something about being a late-round draft pick and sticking around in the NFL. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work to compete with the best of the best. Minshew played well with the Jaguars for a brief stint. Yet after their horrendous 2020 season, Jacksonville drafted Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars parted ways with Minshew.
Following his time with the Jaguars, Minshew spent a couple of seasons as the backup in Philadelphia. Last season, he was set to be the backup in Indianapolis until first-round pick Anthony Richardson was sidelined after a season-ending injury. He well with the Colts and helped lead them to the playoffs. Now, the veteran quarterback finds himself in Las Vegas.
Viva Las Vegas
Las Vegas is a wild city and a place that like the Raiders, resembles the true underdog that wants to win. That makes this city the perfect fit for Minshew.
Minshew signed a two-year, $25 million contract with the Raiders in the offseason. It’s been a long road for the quarterback who has had his ups and downs throughout his career. Now, he has a chance to make a name for himself in Sin City.
Minshew brings with him plenty of experience. That’s something that first-year head coach Antonio Pierce might take a gamble on as he will need consistency from his offense. The veteran quarterback doesn’t have a particularly strong arm, but is mobile in the pocket and can make throws on the run. Minshew is a gunslinger and someone who is always looking to make a play.
Conclusion
Football can’t come soon enough. It feels like every day we get different reports from various Raiders beat reporters regarding the quarterback battle. Right now, the edge likely goes to Minshew.
The Raiders had a live scrimmage Saturday night, and according to reports, Minshew threw two touchdowns and one interception. Compare that to O’Connell, who had zero touchdown passes and two interceptions.
The offense can’t start slow with how tough the Raiders schedule is at the beginning of the season. Coach Pierce is going to play whoever can lead the offense down the field and right now that’s looking more like Gardner Minshew.
Cody Henderson
I root for teams that only let me down. Talking all things Las Vegas Raiders and Cal Bears football. Follow me on X where I post my dramatic takes.