For most of his career, Gardner Minshew has either been the designated backup or the "break glass in case of emergency" third quarterback. He's consistently performed unlikely heroics working out of both of those slots, but now he faces a new challenge.
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce has named Minshew the starter going into Las Vegas's final preseason game against the 49ers, and this is just the second time in Minshew's roller-coaster career that he'll be a full-time starter from the jump. The role comes with a variety of new challenges, and Minshew addressed the biggest ones when he offered some comments on Pierce's decision.
How Gardner Minshew sees his role
Minshew sees the Raiders as his team, but he also sees himself as a distributor. He calls himself a "point guard" in OC Luke Getsy's version of the West Coast offense.
Pierce chose Minshew over fellow QB Aidan O'Connell because he sees Minshew giving the Raiders "the best opportunity to get off to a fast start," which will be a tall task given that Vegas's first four games include tough NFC North matchups against the Ravens and Browns.
The point guard analogy is very appropriate because it highlights Minshew's biggest challenge. Point guards get paid in part based on their turnover/assist ratio, and for Minshew, the instinct to push the envelope and try and make a play when he should take a sack or execute a throwaway will likely be the deciding factor.
Minshew will also face the challenge of having to build rapport and chemistry with his receiving corps, most especially Davante Adams. Adams has been in and out of camp, in part to attend the birth of his son, and he's also been the subject of trade rumors throughout the summer. He'll need to be on the same page with Minshew right away, or the Raiders will struggle.
The quarterback will finally get a starter's salary
The Raiders new starter signed a $25 million deal for two years, with $15 million of that money guaranteed. It's not a lot of money by today's quarterback salary standards, but it does come with the same kinds of challenges faced by the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson. Specifically, the big challenge is to win at all costs.
"One thing I figured out is being a quarterback in this league is all about winning," he stated. "If you win, nothing else really matters."
Some fans might beg to differ. One of the things Minshew brings to the table as a starter is the excitement of the unknown, particularly when he breaks out of the pocket and starts improvising. It started the phenomenon that was known as "Minshew Mania" in Jacksonville, and the Vegas version is sure to come with some electric twists and turns.
Minshew is hoping the sequel is better than the story he authored as Jacksonville's starter after his initial success off the bench. It came with a sour 1-6 ending, and Pierce, Getsy, and GM Tom Telesco are hoping for more than a fairy tale ending this time around.
The good news is that Minshew has grown a lot since that disaster. He was more than competent with the Colts last year, throwing for over 3300 yards with a 62.6 percent completion percentage and 15 TDs to go with nine picks.
If he can improve those last two numbers, the Raiders will have a shot at being competitive, even in a tough division. It will be a tall task given Minshew's gambling ways, but he's saying all the right things. Now, he just has to do them on the field.