Gardner Minshew trade: Eagles acquire Jaguars backup quarterback

It’s been a pretty quiet summer for Howie Roseman, who absolutely loves to make trades, but the Philadelphia Eagles’ general manager awoke from his slumber on Saturday morning!

The Eagles officially traded for former Jacksonville Jaguars starting quarterback Gardner Minshew in exchange for a conditional 2022 sixth-round pick. NFL insider Adam Schefter reports the selection can become a 2022 fifth-round pick if Minshew plays in at least 50% of the plays in three games this season.

The Eagles also released Nick Mullens, who struggled this summer, in a corresponding roster move.

Minshew is being brought in to be a No. 3 quarterback behind presumed starter Jalen Hurts and veteran backup Joe Flacco, according to Ian Rapoport.

It’s a curious move in that no one thought the Eagles needed to add another QB. But, hey, this is the self-proclaimed “quarterback factory” we’re talking about here.

Minshew is good enough to be a respectable No. 2 quarterback for most teams. He was said to be in competition to be the Jags’ starting quarterback this year, though we all know that wasn’t really true since it was Trevor Lawrence’s job.

After entering the league as a sixth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft (notably selected after the Eagles took Clayton Thorson), Minshew went on to start 20 games over two seasons. He’s 7-13 as a starter, though, in fairness, he’s played for a pretty terrible Jags team. His individual numbers are solid with a 62.9% completion rate for 37 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 6.9 yards per attempt (5,530 yards), and a 93.1 passer rating. Minshew also has the ability to run with 497 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown to his name.

On the downside, Minshew has an issue with fumbling. He’s put the ball on the ground in 18 of his 23 total games played. Some of that might be due to playing behind a suspect Jaguars offensive line but, still, not great.

With Minshew signed through 2022, there’s a chance the 25-year-old can be a cheap backup for the Eagles to have behind next year’s starter ... whoever that may be. It remains to be seen if the Birds will bring back Flacco, who turns 37 in January, for another season. Alternatively, the Eagles could look to flip Minshew to a quarterback-needy team down the road.

The Eagles’ trade for Minshew very well may have been motivated in part by the fact that they employ former Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell. Caldwell was added to Philly’s front office with the title of “personnel executive” earlier this year.

Beyond the on-field ramifications, Minshew seems like a fun personality to root for. He certainly has a unique look for an NFL quarterback with his mustache. Unfortunately, he no longer has his mullet.

Overall, this feels like a solid move by Roseman. It’s a low cost to acquire a solid quarterback who will serve as a No. 3 this year and potentially a No. 2 in the future. Though, it might’ve been nice to just trade for Minshew earlier this year instead of signing Flacco.