Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer didn’t know much about Gardner Minshew II when he was hired, but found out quickly during their offseason program how hard of a worker he is. As a result, he’s grown to respect the third-year player a lot, which may be playing a part in the team not naming a QB1 yet.
Of course, it’s still hard to find anyone who believes Trevor Lawrence won’t be the starter, but Meyer told Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer that he’s impressed with Minshew’s relentless mentality despite the circumstances.
“Well, Minshew’s not giving it up,” Meyer said … “He’s a much different player than Trevor. Trevor’s a down-the-field passer, this guy’s a scramble-around, make-plays guy, but I’ll tell you what he really is, he’s a warrior. And I appreciate warriors. It’s a street fight right now.”
While most who’ve attended practice wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s a street fight, they probably would agree that Minshew is a top-10 backup quarterback in the league. That’s why it’s hard to imagine that teams won’t be showing interest in him over the coming weeks, but at the same time, that’s also why many Jags fans feel Meyer is trying to raise Minshew’s stock. So, in other words, there may be a mixture of genuine respect for Minshew and the potential desire to trade him.
When asked about the status of who will start in Monday’s game between the New Orleans Saints and Jags, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said that it would likely be Lawrence. With that being the case, Lawrence could end up taking the field with the starters for his second consecutive preseason game, which would show the team’s dedication to seeing how the rookie fares against the best competition on their schedule.