Gardner Minshew being the #2 backup is a best-case scenario for Philadelphia for a number of reasons. You may not have thought about it too much given how much noise the team has made this offseason, but the Eagles have everything they could need in a QB2 for the time being.
When Nick Foles backed up Carson Wentz for two seasons, the Eagles had a veteran quarterback who was accurate, but not as mobile as the starter. It allowed for many of the same passing combinations to be used and kept the Eagles offense flowing freely in 2017 and 2018.
Well the names may have changed at quarterback, but the Eagles still have an excellent 1-2 combo of signal callers that complement each other well, while not causing a controversy in itself.
The skillset of Gardner Minshew
It’s an important quality to have in a backup quarterback, because if Hurts were to ever get injured, getting the ball to AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith is priority #1 for any signal-caller.
We saw a little bit of that last season when Minshew carved up the lowly Jets in Week 13. Minshew threw for 242 yards and 2 touchdowns in a very efficient game. As long as he is as accurate as he was last season, the offense doesn’t have to be completely changed if Minshew Mania comes in.
Mindset
Gardner Minshew can be a starting quarterback in this league. There is no doubt about that.
No-one denied that Nick Foles could be a starting quarterback either.
But what connects both Minshew and Foles is the fact that, as backups, neither are satisfied with just sitting on the bench. Both want to play, and both want to start. That’s a key mindset to have for backup quarterbacks because you don’t want a player who is unprepared going into a game and then being rusty. Minshew wasn’t rusty in 2021, and it allowed the Eagles to stay afloat with the absence of Hurts.
Hurts isn’t the type of player to be worried about a backup either so there are no mental hurdles that need to be jumped to make the starter happy.
On top of that, we know that Sirianni wants iron to sharpen iron. He wants Hurts to feel the heat in order to be elevated as a passer, and the feeling is mutual. Jalen has embraced competition since his arrival in Philly and having a borderline starter on your heels is a great way to ensure the pedal stays pressed to the floor.
Quirkiness
In the early 70’s it was Earl Morrall. In the 80’s it was Jim Plunkett. In the 2010’s, it was Foles.
Good backup quarterbacks have a history of always coming through exactly when you need them. It also helps when they have a quirky side to them.
Gardner Minshew has “Minshew Mania” as his calling card. It’s a moniker that has stuck along with his trademark mustache. He looks the part of a great backup quarterback that can help a team win multiple ballgames if a starter goes down.
Minshew is the perfect backup for the 2022 Eagles because his skillset, swagger and mindset all match up to what the Eagles need. While fans can expect and hope for Jalen Hurts to have a big season, it’s nice knowing that even if Hurts has to miss a week, Gardner Minshew is ready and rearing to go.
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire
