Nick Mullens is no more (THANK GOD).
The Eagles traded for former Jaguars quarterback, Gardner Minshew, on Saturday morning. The team sent Jacksonville a conditional 6th round pick that can turn into a 5th rounder (if Minshew plays at least 50% of the team’s plays in at least three games this season) in next April’s draft.
In 23 career games (20 starts) Minshew has a 7-13 record along with a completion percentage of 62.9%, 5,530 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Last season Minshew completed 66.1% of his passes and amassed a 16-5 TD-INT ratio in a 1-7 campaign.
Minshew became available after the Jaguars selected Trevor Lawrence with the number 1 overall pick in last April’s draft. Lawrence was named the Jaguars starter earlier this week.
For the Eagles, make no mistake about it, this is a move to sure up the QB position behind Jalen Hurts. The Nick Mullens experiment was over before it began. Joe Flacco is due $3.5 million in guaranteed money and Minshew gives the Eagles an accurate passer and lively body behind Jalen Hurts.
Once Minshew gets into the playbook, expect him to compete with Joe Flacco for the number 2 QB job. He gives the Eagles what they were looking for when they drafted Jalen Hurts in the 2nd round of the 2020 NFL Draft–a long-term backup.
Minshew is a quarterback with a ton of potential but lacks in areas that could make him a consistent starter (processing, erratic-ness as a thrower, & decision-making to name a few). Minshew is under team control until the 2023 season.
One of the most talked-about things with the Eagles organization by national and local media is the importance the team places on the quarterback position. Howie Roseman and co. are always concerned with how they can improve the room. Add in the fact that the man who drafted Minshew, Dave Caldwell, is now with the Eagles as a personnel executive and you’ll begin to understand why the move was made.
The Eagles travel to Atlanta for the 1st game of the 2021 NFL regular season on September 12th.
Cover Image Credit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
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