Tag: Gardner Minshew

3 backup QBs the Colts could target in free agency

If Gardner Minshew walks, which backup QBs would be options for the Colts?

The Indianapolis Colts may need to enter free agency looking for a backup option to quarterback Anthony Richardson depending on how the next month goes.

While Richardson is the unquestioned starter going into his second season, the 2023 campaign proved having a viable backup is vital. Gardner Minshew stepped in admirably and nearly helped the Colts get into the playoffs.

Minshew is slated to be a free agent this offseason. He may seek fringe starter money on the market, which would likely put the Colts out of range to make a deal considering they already have their starter.

Re-signing Minshew would make a lot of sense for the Colts given his knowledge of Shane Steichen’s offense, but it will all come down to money.

So in the event Minshew doesn’t return, we’re here to take a look at the potential options for the Colts on the free-agent market in 2024:

All 32 NFL QBs (including Panthers’ Bryce Young) ranked by passer rating for the 2023 regular season

32 starting QBs ranked by their 2023 passer ratings

Well, let’s just look back at this like a “Started from the bottom, now we here” meme by next year, shall we?

Here are all 32 NFL quarterbacks, including Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers, ranked by passer rating from the 2023 season:

Trevor Lawrence passed on Pro Bowl invite, says Peyton Manning

Trevor Lawrence didn’t participate in the Pro Bowl because it was “kind of a late notice thing,” according to Peyton Manning.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was one of three AFC passers to decline an invite to the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, according to Peyton Manning.

Manning, who served as head coach of the AFC, told reporters that he spoke to Lawrence prior to the event, and said that the Jaguars quarterback didn’t participate because it was “kind of a late notice thing.”

“Talked to him this week, trying to maybe see if he was going to come down once Lamar [Jackson] was unable to play and just couldn’t — kind of a late notice thing for him, but he’s great,” Manning said, via Brent Martineau of Action Sports Jax.

When the Pro Bowl rosters were announced in January, the three quarterbacks for the AFC were Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens.

While Tagovailoa participated, Mahomes was unable to because the Chiefs reached Super Bowl LVIII. Jackson opted out for reasons that weren’t made public.

Those two open spots were eventually filled by the Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud and the Indianapolis Colts’ Gardner Minshew. How many quarterbacks declined an invite before those two accepted is unclear, though. The Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen was reportedly one of the other passers who skipped the event.

Lawrence, 24, finished his third season in the NFL with 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

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Colts’ highlights from 2024 Pro Bowl Games

Check out the Colts’ highlights from the 2024 Pro Bowl Games.

A quartet of Indianapolis Colts players represented the organization at the 2024 Pro Bowl Games in Orlando over the weekend.

As the league continues to move further away from the traditional All-Star Game format, instead opting for a week of events and mini-games, the Colts were well-represented by some of the biggest leaders in the locker room.

Quarterback Gardner Minshew, left guard Quenton Nelson, center Ryan Kelly and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner all took part in the weekend events.

Minshew and Kelly were the only players to participate in Thursday’s skills showdown. Minshew competed in the Precision Passing event with the other Pro Bowl quarterbacks while Kelly competed in the snap shot event with the other centers.

From being mic’d up to shining in the flag football game to end the weekend, here are the highlights from the Colts players during the 2024 Pro Bowl Games.

Colts’ Gardner Minshew on upcoming free agency: ‘Ain’t no tellin’, man’

Gardner Minshew gave his thoughts on upcoming free agency.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew brought plenty of vibes to the 2024 Pro Bowl Games in Orlando this week during his first appearance at the NFL’s all-star festivities.

Minshew, who joined the Colts during the 2023 offseason via free agency, is once again preparing to hit the market. It’s a slightly different perspective this time around, though, considering Minshew started a career-high 13 games this season after Anthony Richardson underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in October.

When asked by NFL.com at the Pro Bowl this week about his future in free agency, Minshew answered the only way he knew how.

“Ain’t no tellin’, man, ain’t no tellin’,” Minshew said. “That’s something they gotta tell me, that free agency stuff.”

Minshew followed Shane Steichen to Indy after spending two seasons working with the latter when he was the offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles. The 2023 season marked his third consecutive campaign working in Steichen’s offense.

Amid some ups and downs from Minshew, he was a large reason why the Colts were able to finish with a 9-8 record, narrowly missing out on a playoff berth in Steichen’s first season as head coach.

“So comfortable with Shane,” Minshew said. “The open communication the whole time, just really loved Shane and playing for him.”

Bringing Minshew back would be a fine choice for the Colts. He’s loved in the locker room, he understands the offense extremely well, and he has a strong relationship with the rest of the quarterback room.

As in most cases, it will come down to money. The Colts are unlikely to pay Minshew starter money considering they already have one, but Minshew may be seeking that kind of deal after getting another taste of that role.

Regardless of what happens, Minshew looks back on his first season with the Colts fondly.

“Just super grateful, man. Had a lot of good people around me this year,” Minshew said. “Loved it, man. Just super proud of the season we had, the work we put in and, man, just loved the guys we had and wish it would’ve never ended.”

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2024 Pro Bowl Games: Date, time, how to watch, stream

Information on the 2024 Pro Bowl Games.

The Pro Bowl may not hold the same weight that it used to, but the NFL is still putting together an event for some of the best players around the league.

After the Pro Bowl skills showdown took place Thursday in Orlando, the games will take place Sunday afternoon.

The Colts have four players participating in the Pro Bowl Games. That includes left guard Quenton Nelson, center Ryan Kelly, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and quarterback Gardner Minshew.

How to Watch

Date: Sunday, Feb. 4
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Channel: ESPN/ABC
Streaming: fuboTV (try it free)

Games

  • Madden NFL head-to-head: A 2v2 matchup hosted by EA Sports.
  • Gridiron Gauntlet: A 6v6 obstacle course relay race (Buckner and Nelson participating)
  • Tug-of-War: A 5v5 competition (Buckner and Nelson participating)
  • Move the Chains: Each team of five players consisting only of offensive an defensive line must move 3,000 pounds of weights off a massive wall and be the first team to pull that 2,000-pound wall across the finish line.
  • Flag Football: (Minshew and Kelly participating)

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5 toughest decisions for Colts GM Chris Ballard this offseason

Plenty of tough decisions await Colts GM Chris Ballard this offseason.

What a difference a year has made for Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard.

He went from having to find a new head coach and selecting a franchise quarterback to having to put together a roster that can go on a deep playoff run next season.

Ballard’s key decisions this offseason come mostly on players that were on the roster in 2023.

Here are the five toughest he has to decide on in the coming months:

Twitter reacts to Colts QB Gardner Minshew’s Pro Bowl selection

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Gardner Minshew being named a Pro Bowler.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew was selected to the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, marking the first time in his career he achieved the feat.

Considering the fact that Minshew wasn’t even on the initial list of alternates, this certainly comes as a surprise. Minshew took over the starting role after rookie Anthony Richardson suffered a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery in Week 5.

Over the course of the season, Minshew started 13 games, completing 62.2% of his passes for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns, nine interceptions and an 84.6 passer rating.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to the news that Minshew was named a Pro Bowler:

Colts’ Gardner Minshew named to 2024 Pro Bowl Games

Gardner Minshew is heading to the Pro Bowl.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew was named to the 2024 Pro Bowl Games as a replacement, the team announced Tuesday.

Considering Minshew wasn’t even voted as an alternate initially, this certainly comes as a surprise. It seems Minshew will be replacing Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was not on the finalized Pro Bowl roster despite being voted in earlier in the season.

Minshew took over the starting role after rookie Anthony Richardson suffered a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery in Week 5.

Over the course of the season, Minshew started 13 games, completing 62.2% of his passes for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns, nine interceptions and an 84.6 passer rating.

This is the first time in his career Minshew has been selected to the Pro Bowl, and he will join Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud and Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa on the AFC squad.

Minshew also will join three teammates in Orlando. Left guard Quenton Nelson was the only Colts player voted as a starter in December while center Ryan Kelly and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner also were added to the roster as replacements Tuesday.

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All available free-agent QBs for the Colts in 2024

Here’s a quick look at the crop of free-agent QBs for the Colts in 2024.

For the first time in what seems like forever, the quarterback position is not the biggest need for the Indianapolis Colts entering the offseason.

With Anthony Richardson set to enter his second season after his rookie campaign was cut short due to a shoulder injury, there is no reason to look beyond him as the starter in 2024.

However, veteran Gardner Minshew is slated to be a free agent this offseason, and he could look for a starting gig after proving his worth replacing Richardson for most of 2023.

There’s almost an equal chance he re-signs or leaves so it’s difficult to know what that outcome will be at the time of this writing. But the Colts may need to look for an affordable backup to Richardson.

The purpose of this article is purely informative. It’s just a list of which quarterbacks are set to be unrestricted free agents, according to Over The Cap. We’ll get into who the Colts should target in free agency over the next month as the new league approaches in March.

A handful of the top options like Baker Mayfield and Kirk Cousins are included even though the Colts won’t be pursuing them.

So before the new league year arrives, here’s a look at all the available quarterback options for the Colts during the 2024 offseason: