The Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and Cleveland Browns are looking to make a big move, as all three teams try to persuade controversial Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson to waive his no-trade clause and join their squads. But only one team can land Watson, and the losers of his trade sweepstakes will need to find other options. Philadelphia Eagles backup QB Gardner Minshew could be that consolation prize.
Teams missing out on Deshaun Watson should target Gardner Minshew
The Browns, Saints, and Panthers are prepared to make big offers to acquire Watson from the Texans, but the reality is that only one franchise will get to make a mega-deal. The other two squads will need to go back to the drawing board and realize that their incumbent starter has seen how the team has publicly sought after Watson.
The Browns have Baker Mayfield ($18.8 million base salary), the Saints have Taysom Hill ($10.1 million guaranteed salary), and the Panthers have Sam Darnold ($18.8 million base salary). Unless they land a clear upgrade over their incumbent talent, those teams will probably need to stage a training camp competition for the QB1 job for the fan base to buy into their plan. With so much money already invested in the QB position for 2022, the losers of the Watson trade derby will need to add some cost-effective competition to the depth chart.
That’s why Minshew makes sense as that competitor. Minshew is coming off a season of backing up upstart QB Jalen Hurts. Minshew, 25, started two games for the Eagles, completing 41 of 60 passes (68.3%) for 439 yards, 4 touchdowns, and an interception. Despite being acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars in September for a sixth-round pick, Minshew reportedly garnered midseason trade interest from the Panthers, who could miss out on Watson this week.
Minshew helped the Eagles defeat the New York Jets in Week 13 and immediately asked Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni what he could do to become QB1 for the team. Sirianni told Minshew that his ascension up the depth chart wasn’t an option, and Minshew continued to back up Hurts through the team’s playoff run. But Minshew, who has started 22 NFL games in three years, still wants to be at the top of a totem pole. His competitiveness could push a starting QB with uneven footing throughout an offseason.
Why Minshew makes financial sense
Minshew is set to make just $2.54 million in the final year of his rookie deal. The former sixth-round pick can easily be tacked onto a salary cap with little worry and compete with Darnold, Hill, or Mayfield with little consequence. Even if a team were eager to start their incumbent QB, adding Minshew would give them insurance in case the holdover bombs early in the season.
The Browns and Saints are aiming to get back to the playoffs, while the Panthers are looking to save jobs and finally establish a winning culture under Matt Rhule. None of them can afford to hedge at QB, and if they don’t land Watson, they still need to keep churning on the QB trade market.
Minshew’s minuscule salary should allow the team acquiring him to have their competition/insurance at a reasonable price.
Trade compensation for Minshew
The Eagles traded for Minshew because they wanted a stable backup behind Hurts. Urban Meyer, who was a disaster during his uncompleted season in the NFL, devalued Minshew, as did GM Trent Baalke, and the Jaguars took what they could get.
As is the case with most QBs, Minshew expanded his value by backing up a young QB for a more successful franchise. Similar to Mitchell Trubisky with the Buffalo Bills, Minshew took on the shine of having a better supporting cast when he was thrust into action. The shine of playing for a winning organization also added to his appeal.
With Trubisky now in place to start for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minshew should be afforded a similar look in a competition. Given his cheap salary, youth, and remaining upside, the Eagles should be able to get a fourth-round pick – or maybe even a third-round selection – for the QB. That’s a pretty small price to pay for a backup who could eventually become a starter.