Beyond Jimmy Garoppolo, a buyer’s market took shape at quarterback in free agency this year. But a few teams have made their moves for bridge-level veterans. Baker Mayfield, Jacoby Brissett, Taylor Heinicke and Sam Darnold reached agreements. The Colts, however, have not made a move.
Indianapolis released Matt Ryan, being set to become the rare team to enter a season with a seventh Week 1 starting quarterback in seven years, and saw Carolina trade up to the No. 1 overall spot. The Colts will continue to be connected to rookie options at No. 4, but they should be expected to add a veteran as well. Gardner Minshew has surfaced on Indy’s radar for the latter role, Zak Keefer of The Athletic tweets.
A former Jaguars starter who ended up taking future Colt Nick Foles‘ job in 2019, Minshew spent the past two seasons backing up Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia. New Colts HC Shane Steichen residing in Philly during that span makes this a rather clear connection for the AFC South franchise.
Hurts suffered short-term injuries in each of his two full seasons as the Eagles’ starter, missing a start with an ankle issue in 2021 and suffering a shoulder malady last season. Minshew ended up making four starts in Philly from 2021-22 under Steichen. He fared better in 2021, completing 68.3% of his passes and sporting a solid 60.8 QBR number, but he also started against a bad Jets team and a host of Cowboys backups. Last season, he faced Cowboys starters and a top-10 Saints defense and completed just 57.9% of his throws and threw three touchdown passes and three INTs.
For his career, however, the former sixth-round pick carries an eye-catching 44-to-15 TD-INT ratio. Most of those numbers came for overmatched Jaguars teams as well. Minshew is 8-16 as a starter, but he showed the capabilities of at least being a capable QB1 in Jacksonville. He will be available at a low rate, given what Mayfield and the rest of the above-referenced lot of passers signed for this week.
The Colts still have Foles and Sam Ehlinger under contract, but the franchise should be expected to turn the page (again) at the position this offseason. The team will be connected to a trade-up maneuver in Round 1 or sticking at 4 to select a first-round QB for the first time since Andrew Luck 11 years ago. But Indy will almost definitely have a veteran option in place by that point as well. Minshew’s past with Steichen will make him a strong candidate to fill that role.