NFL Trade Rumors: 3 teams that can afford Gardner Minshew
Gardner Minshew's time as a starter in the NFL is over. He had a brief as the Jacksonville Jaguars' starting quarterback, but after leading a team that went 1-15, the writing is on the wall.
Even so, if the quarterback lands with the right team, he could be an upgrade at the backup quarterback position. The question, however, is whether teams can afford to have him?
While almost every team can afford his tiny salary, the real cost of Minshew is his personality. While some love his character, others can be put off by him. If he were to land in a bad fit, he could harm teams. With that said, here are three teams that have a culture that could afford Minshew mania.
Best fits for Gardner Minshew
#1 - Baltimore Ravens
If Gardner Minshew were to land in Baltimore, the Ravens would have made a sizable upgrade. Their current backup is Trace McSorley. Last season, McSorley earned a 57.4 PFF grade and struggled to run an NFL offense.
By adding Gardner Minshew, the Ravens would be getting a quarterback that can function in an offense at minimal cost.
#2 - Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are staring down the barrel of Ben Roethlisberger's retirement. He is expected to play this season, but there are no guarantees beyond that.
The Steelers currently sit with Mason Rudolph and haskins" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dwayne Haskins behind him. Those who have watched football in the last few seasons will concur that neither is a long-term solution.
While Gardner Minshew is also not a long-term solution, he could be a good bridge quarterback before the Steelers find a long-term starter. This season, he will be an upgrade over Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins as a backup.
In Minshew's best season, he threw for 21 touchdowns and six interceptions. Meanwhile, Rudolph and Haskins' best seasons combined for 20 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Put simply, the Steelers would be smart to make a move to get Minshew so they are not hung out to dry when Ben Roethlisberger retires.
#3 - Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals' current backup quarterback is Colt McCoy. In his career, he has thrown for 30 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. Minshew's addition could be a lifesaver for the Cardinals.
The Cardinals' offensive roster is also good enough to keep winning if Minshew were to take over.
Kyler Murray is one of the quarterbacks who are constantly at injury risk due to his smaller size. If he were to get hurt, the Cardinals likely would not miss a beat with Minshew running the offense.
The NFL has not seen Minshew with a dominant receiver like DeAndre Hopkins. If Minshew were to take over, he might play well enough to keep Murray on the bench.
The Cardinals should not care if this happens, as the team has had trouble making the playoffs since Carson Palmer was the team's starting quarterback.