Pittsburgh Steelers Twitter is knee-deep in speculation about the offseason transactions including free agency. Steelers fans on Twitter rarely respond well to these contemplations, especially regarding quarterbacks. The talk of what will happen with the current backups, Mitch Trubisky and longtime Steeler Mason Rudolph, is especially volatile. However, on Monday Mark Kaboly from The Athletic caused an extra large explosion with just three words.
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In his Steelers Mailbag column, he was asked the following.
"Who would be your ideal backup quarterback for the Steelers next season? - Jeff S."
Kaboly responded quite simply.
"Gardner Minshew....100 percent."
Steelers To Take Minshew? Pros And Cons
Despite the backlash Kaboly is receiving, you know what they say, "there is no such thing as a stupid question" so it is worth it to look at the pros and cons of Minshew.
This isn't the first time Minshew has been mentioned as an option to go to the Steelers. Prior to the start of the 2022 season, Kaboly included Minshew in a list of possible QB trade options. Of course, Kaboly also had other thoughts in the same article.
"I believe Mason Rudolph should and will be the Steelers starting quarterback in 2022. He's really never had a legitimate chance to prove himself. Despite having a first-round grade, the Steelers never treated him as such."
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Aug 18, 2020; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew II (15) looks on during training camp at Dream Finders Homes Practice Complex.
That didn't age well.
On the subject of trading for Minshew, Kaboly felt that he provided a cheap and "time-friendly" option, meaning they didn't have to decide right away, prior to the start of last season. Minshew bounced around colleges starting at Northwest Mississippi, switching to East Carolina and ending at Washington State. He blossomed at Washington and ended up fifth in the Heisman voting in 2018.
Despite his strong finish, there were some concerns from scouts about him attending so many colleges. He also has a "pass-heavy" style versus the "run-heavy" style that was increasingly becoming more popular. Minshew hoped that other strong passing QBs like Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes would help his draft stock rise. If it did you can't tell. The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Minshew in the sixth round in 2019.
He had a lackluster first preseason but won the backup job knowing Nick Foles was going to start. When Foles broke his collarbone in Week 1, Minshew was given the starting job. He performed well enough that when Foles struggled to reintegrate upon his return, he was benched in favor of Minshew. Minshew led Jacksonville to a strong finish and "Minshew Mania" was born. In 2020, Minshew started the season but injured his hand. In an ironic twist, Minshew's backup, Mike Glennon, took over for him and kept the starting job.
He was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 to back up Jalen Hurts. Despite having a few strong showings in the past two seasons, Minshew has been inconsistent. There are some positive attributes about Minshew. He wants very badly to play, he has gone out of his way to seek out every opportunity and even point-blank asked for the starting job in Philly. Head Coach Nick Sirianni declined. According to Trent Dilfer, who assessed Minshew prior to the draft, he is able to maintain accuracy even when under pressure.
"He's just a really good passer. He has what I call passing proficiency, he has passing traits. He sees it, he throws it early, he can change the speeds on the ball, he can deal with people in his lap."
There was also room to grow, he needed to work on his physicality and arm strength. Since he arrived in the pros there have been concerns that even when he wins or makes a positive play, it is much harder or more complicated than it needs to be. He also struggled with accuracy at the pro level. The pressure that is put on QBs in college is not equal to the pressure in the pros and it showed.
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It seems more than just possible that the Steelers will need a backup to Kenny Pickett. Rudolph has been lingering in the background for several years and probably wants a shot at starting. The same goes for Trubisky, despite having a year left on his contract he might demand a trade.
If both Rudolph and Trubisky leave the team then Minshew does provide inexpensive depth, Kaboly is right about that. He also has some strong skills for a QB2, he's proven to be a solid backup. Minshew is an unrestricted free agent and will likely want to test the market. However, Pittsburgh may not feel like the best fit for him, backing up a young Pickett does cramp his plan to earn a starting spot. He's been there, done that.
What do you think about the Steelers taking Minshew as a backup? What do you think the Steelers' backup QB situation will be in 2023? Comment below.
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