Making the case for Gardner Minshew as the Seahawks QB of the future
Why the Seahawks might be a good fit
Compared to the previous quarterbacks in our franchise QB hunt, Gardner Minshew provides the least amount of baggage. Minshew never flamed out with his previous team, unlike Geno Smith and Drew Lock. Minshew also is not coming off a major injury like that of both Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo. Minshew went to the worst spot in the NFL, and wasn’t bad. In Seattle, he could reach a new level in his game.
I went back and looked at Gardner Minshew’s first career win, a Thursday night primetime game against the Tennessee Titans. The Jags won 20-7, while Minshew provided solid play, going 20/30 for 204 yards and 2 TDs. I was even more impressed after I saw the box score from the game.
Minshew was throwing the ball to a young DJ Chark Jr., Dede Westbrook, Chris Conley, and James O’Shaughnessy. With all due respect, that is not an acceptable NFL receiving corps. With Minshew in the fold this season by trade or free agency in 2023, the offense in Seattle would be lightyears ahead of anything in Jacksonville.
Coming from the Air Raid offense at WSU, Minshew excels in the quick throws, particularly in the short and intermediate passing. I believe that this pairs well with Shan Waldron’s Rams heavy play-action scheme. With improved o-line play, the middle of the field will have to sink in closer to the line of scrimmage, to combat the Seahawks running game.
This should open up plenty of 5-7 yard throws over the middle to YAC monsters in DK Metcalf and Noah Fant. Minshew also has decent mobility, which could make him a better fit for the scheme than say a Jimmy G.
One area of concern that was brought up when Minshew came into the league was his having one of the weaker arms in the league. That did not hinder him in 2019, when he was ranked as the 3rd best deep-ball thrower in the league, only behind Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson.
Completing 49 percent of his deep ball throws, Minshew makes up for his perceived lack of arm strength for exceptional pinpoint accuracy. It would be an adjustment, but I believe that type of accuracy could play with the route running of a Tyler Lockett, or putting the ball in a position where Metcalf and Fant can just beat their guy on.
How many times over the years have Seahawks fans clamored for Russ to take more shots to his big receiving targets? Noah Fant may be the best target Minshew has had, compared to his time in Jacksonville. Now what could he do with DK and Lockett?
Beyond the scheme and playing style, Minshew would make an incredible addition to the locker room and the fan base. Everywhere Gardner Minshew has been, the team has improved. He is a unique character, but one his teammates respect and the fanbase adores. Even if he didn’t work out, I think bringing Minshew back home would be a party for a bit.