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Eagles, Jaguars' Updated Depth Charts After Gardner Minshew II Trade
August 28, 2021
The Philadelphia Eagles reportedly acquired quarterback Gardner Minshew II from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the pick could improve to a fifth-round selection if Minshew plays at least 50 percent of the snaps in three games for the Eagles in 2021.
Here's a look at the teams' updated quarterback depth charts after the deal:
Eagles: Jalen Hurts, Joe Flacco, Minshew (via NFL Network's Ian Rapoport)
Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, C.J. Beathard, Jake Luton (via NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe)
Don't be surprised if Flacco emerges as a potential trade candidate after teams around the NFL start to deal with quarterback injuries once the regular season gets underway.
Philadelphia should want to see what Hurts can produce over an entire season after some promising moments as a rookie in 2020, and Minshew is a more-than-capable backup who posted rock-solid numbers across 20 starts as a member of the Jags.
The 25-year-old Washington State product completed 62.9 percent of his throws for 5,530 yards with 37 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions in two seasons with Jacksonville. He also added 497 rushing yards and one score on the ground.
Minshew has lacked big-play ability—his longest completion across 327 attempts last year was 51 yards—but he's protected the football and led scoring drives at a modest rate, which is about all a team can expect from a backup signal-caller.
Flacco, who led the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl XLVII title at the end of the 2012 season, has never lived up to that standard in the subsequent years, but he's a battle-tested veteran who can quickly learn an offense. It makes him a possible option for a team heading into the year without a proven backup and suffers an injury to its starter.
It's also possible the Eagles could flip Minshew in a trade in a similar scenario depending on the offers, especially if Hurts takes steps toward establishing himself as a true franchise quarterback early in the campaign.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars are all-in with Lawrence after taking him with the first overall pick in the 2021 draft.
Jacksonville's overall talent level is still a step below the majority of the league after going 1-15 last year, and losing fellow rookie Travis Etienne Jr. to a season-ending foot injury is a setback to the offense given the all-around playmaking role he could have filled.
Lawrence is still surrounded by running back James Robinson and the wide receiver triumvirate of D.J. Chark Jr., Laviska Shenault Jr. and Marvin Jones Jr., so there's talent around him, but some growing pains can be expected throughout his rookie year.
Beathard, who owns a career 81.1 passer rating through 19 appearances, will likely only see the field because of injury or in blowout situations.
Both teams kick off the regular season Sept. 12. The Eagles visit the Atlanta Falcons, while the Jags also open on the road against the Houston Texans.