Gardner Minshew drew some harsh criticism from an NFL head coach ahead of the 2024 NFL season
Antonio Pierce and the Las Vegas Raiders made the decision to name Gardner Minshew as the starting quarterback for Week 1, beating out Aidan O’Connell. After training camp and the preseason, Gardner Minshew did enough to win the job after signing a free agent deal with the team this offseason.
But is he the right choice?
The Raiders probably don’t envision Gardner Minshew as their quarterback of the future but they need to rely on him for this season. However, one NFL head coach had some really interesting and harsh things to say about the quarterback.
In Mike Sando’s NFL quarterback tiers ranking in The Athletic on Monday, Minshew came in at No. 25 on the list. But it was what was said about him from an NFL head coach that is making waves.
“Nobody wants him to be a starter, probably even his own team, but he won games with Indy last year,” an offensive coach said, per Mike Sando of The Athletic. “When you play him, the kid is competitive. He will keep you in the game — and them. It’s going to be a fight.”
Wow. That’s pretty harsh.
The 28-year-old Minshew is going into the sixth year of his NFL career, spending time in Jacksonville, Philadelphia, and most recently Indianapolis. He did a good job last season with the Colts, almost leading them to the playoffs after Anthony Richardson got hurt. In that season, he threw for 3,305 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions, making 13 starts.
Broncos’ quarterback Bo Nix was not ranked as he’s a rookie but the AFC West had No. 1 Patrick Mahomes and No. 5 Justin Herbert on the list.
What’s the future for Gardner Minshew in Las Vegas?
Minshew signed a two-year deal worth $25M with $15M of that guaranteed this offseason with the Raiders, a franchise that needs to find a solution at quarterback after moving on from Derek Carr. Even with Aidan O’Connell showing flashes last season, there isn’t a permanent fix yet.
And this offseason, the Raiders have been involved in some mock drafts that have them taking a quarterback.
With Las Vegas deciding not to take a quarterback this year in the NFL draft which would require them to move up, it would be pretty dumb to not take one next year. Unless Minshew goes on a tear this year and proves he can be the guy for the full two years and the Raiders can win with him.
But even so, having that bridge between Minshew and a rookie for let’s say mid-2025 or to start 2026 isn’t a bad option either.
In Field Yates’ updated 2025 NFL mock draft on ESPN, he has the Raiders landing Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers at No. 8 overall:
It’s no surprise that the Raiders are linked to a quarterback in Round 1 since the team has gone through a full offseason battle between Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew, who are each better suited to be a No. 2 option. (Minshew was named the starter over the weekend.) Las Vegas ranked 26th in QBR last season (40.1) and needs a long-term answer.
Ewers is a fun study with his smooth delivery and capacity to change arm angles to make creative throws. He has to be more consistent throwing downfield, but he can really carve up a defense with his intermediate accuracy. Ewers’ functional mobility is also very good and allows him to work around the pocket effectively.
Obviously, picking eighth overall would be a tough year for the Raiders and would mean Gardner Minshew didn’t have a good season. But maybe it could finally open the door for the next franchise quarterback in the Silver and Black.
