Is Gardner Minshew finally the answer at quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders?
Gardner Minshew continues his tour of the country, with his next destination being Las Vegas. On a crazy day of moves across the NFL, this one flew under the radar on Monday. The post-Derek Carr season in 2023 was all over the place, and the Raiders missed out on the playoffs to little surprise. New coach Antonio Pierce has a lot to work on.
Minshew should by all means be the starter come Week 1 in September. The 13th pick in the coming draft seems too far back to get a quarterback, and with Jimmy Garoppolo's hefty contract and suspension, a change is going to occur. The Denver Broncos have already taken a big financial hit to move on from Russell Wilson, and the same could occur in Las Vegas.
Aidan O'Connell will not be the long-term answer; Minshew will be the leader in the QB room. This is Minshhew's best chance since the early days in Jacksonville; the backup roles with the Eagles and Colts were stopgaps. The QB did well following the season-ending injury of Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis last season and earned himself a starting role.
So, will Minshew Mania be able to end the Chiefs' reign of dominance? Well, it's not likely, to be honest. The Raiders would probably have to win 11 or more games, minimum, for a shot at winning the AFC West and probably have to beat the Chiefs and Mahomes twice in 2024.
Gardner Minshew should have a good time in Las Vegas.
Gardner Minshew will have to play without Josh Jacobs in 2024
The long-standing debate about whether the Las Vegas Raiders would pay Josh Jacobs is over. A contract for $48 million over four years is the kind of money a player like Jacobs deserves. The league's best running back just two seasons ago is no longer a safety net for Raiders QBs. So, Minshew will be required to be on his A-game at all times in 2024.
Davante Adams needs to get on a good wavelength with his new quarterback for the Raiders offense to be functional. Adams has been excellent through his two seasons even when the play at quarterback was nonexistent. Antonio Pierce has promised that the Raiders are going to grind and fight for every single win moving forward. Time will tell if they deliver.
This is the biggest chance of Gardner Minshew's career.