The Raiders signed Gardner Minshew to a two-year contract that averages $12.5 million, and I thought that was an interesting signing. It gives them some flexibility heading into the draft.
Las Vegas is among the teams in the market for a long-term quarterback. It potentially could trade up. Or it could be looking to pick up Michael Penix or Bo Nix in the first or second round.
But Minshew (along with holdover Aidan O’Connell) gives them the flexibility to stand pat. If the draft doesn’t unfold the way they’re hoping, they’ve got enough at quarterback that they could kick the can down the road for a year.
O’Connell had a good rookie season, highlighted by him throwing 8 TDs against no interceptions in his final four games.
Minshew has more experience, having played for five years with three different teams. He’s 15-22 as a starter. Not that he’s dynamic, but he’s a pro, and he’s taken care of the ball – just 22 interceptions in those 37 games.
For fantasy purposes, Minshew’s numbers have been a little better than you might realize. There are 36 quarterbacks who’ve started at least 30 games in the last five years. Using standard scoring, Minshew’s overall numbers have been better than over half of those guys. I’ve got him at 242 passing yards per game, with 54 TDs, another with 16 rushing yards per week (with another 5 TDs).
With O’Connell and Minshew, the Raiders are good enough at quarterback that they need not feel any pressure to force a pick on a player if they’re not crazy about him.
STARTING QUARTERBACKS, LAST FIVE YEARS (30-plus starts) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | St | Pass | TDP | Int | Run | TDR | Pts |
Josh Allen | 82 | 252 | 1.91 | .80 | 36 | .56 | 27.5 |
Jalen Hurts | 51 | 228 | 1.29 | .65 | 47 | .80 | 26.2 |
Patrick Mahomes | 79 | 292 | 2.14 | .63 | 21 | .13 | 26.2 |
Lamar Jackson | 70 | 210 | 1.70 | .60 | 65 | .34 | 26.0 |
Dak Prescott | 66 | 282 | 2.05 | .74 | 14 | .17 | 24.9 |
Deshaun Watson | 43 | 253 | 1.70 | .65 | 27 | .30 | 24.2 |
Kyler Murray | 65 | 241 | 1.45 | .71 | 38 | .40 | 24.2 |
Justin Herbert | 62 | 278 | 1.84 | .68 | 15 | .18 | 23.9 |
Joe Burrow | 52 | 271 | 1.87 | .71 | 12 | .19 | 23.4 |
Tom Brady | 66 | 283 | 2.00 | .62 | 2 | .14 | 23.3 |
Russell Wilson | 76 | 237 | 1.82 | .57 | 22 | .17 | 22.4 |
Kirk Cousins | 72 | 263 | 1.96 | .63 | 6 | .07 | 22.3 |
Aaron Rodgers | 66 | 244 | 2.08 | .38 | 8 | .12 | 22.2 |
Matthew Stafford | 65 | 270 | 1.85 | .78 | 5 | .02 | 21.5 |
Justin Fields | 38 | 174 | 1.05 | .76 | 58 | .34 | 20.8 |
Ryan Tannehill | 63 | 224 | 1.48 | .62 | 14 | .33 | 20.7 |
Gardner Minshew | 37 | 242 | 1.46 | .59 | 16 | .14 | 20.6 |
Carson Wentz | 53 | 227 | 1.55 | .74 | 17 | .17 | 20.6 |
Geno Smith | 35 | 242 | 1.54 | .57 | 15 | .09 | 20.5 |
Matt Ryan | 60 | 268 | 1.43 | .83 | 7 | .08 | 20.4 |
Jared Goff | 79 | 264 | 1.52 | .71 | 4 | .10 | 20.4 |
Tua Tagovailoa | 51 | 245 | 1.59 | .73 | 7 | .10 | 20.0 |
Trevor Lawrence | 50 | 235 | 1.16 | .78 | 19 | .22 | 19.8 |
Philip Rivers | 32 | 275 | 1.47 | .97 | 1 | .00 | 19.8 |
Daniel Jones | 59 | 212 | 1.05 | .68 | 32 | .22 | 19.6 |
Derek Carr | 81 | 251 | 1.48 | .65 | 6 | .06 | 19.5 |
Ben Roethlisberger | 33 | 239 | 1.67 | .64 | 1 | .03 | 19.0 |
Teddy Bridgewater | 36 | 226 | 1.19 | .58 | 12 | .19 | 18.5 |
Jimmy Garoppolo | 53 | 233 | 1.43 | .81 | 4 | .09 | 18.5 |
Andy Dalton | 43 | 235 | 1.30 | .93 | 8 | .09 | 18.4 |
Jacoby Brissett | 31 | 214 | 1.13 | .48 | 17 | .23 | 18.3 |
Baker Mayfield | 73 | 222 | 1.37 | .82 | 9 | .10 | 18.2 |
Mitchell Trubisky | 31 | 206 | 1.19 | .74 | 14 | .23 | 18.1 |
Sam Darnold | 43 | 207 | 1.05 | .93 | 14 | .28 | 17.8 |
Mac Jones | 42 | 212 | 1.10 | .86 | 8 | .02 | 16.0 |
Zach Wilson | 33 | 186 | .67 | .73 | 15 | .15 | 14.6 |
—Ian Allan