Raiders' Gardner Minshew: Coach non-committal on starting job
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Head coach Antonio Pierce declined to say Monday whether Minshew would retain the Raiders' starting quarterback job following the team's Week 10 bye, Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
For the third time in his seven starts this season, Minshew was benched during Sunday's 41-24 loss to the Bengals. Desmond Ridder came on in his place and completed 11 of 16 pass attempts for 74 yards and a touchdown while also losing a fumble. Though unspectacular, Ridder's performance has at least prompted Pierce to consider another changing of the guard at quarterback heading into the Raiders' next game, Week 11 at Miami. Clarity on the Raiders' plans should arrive when the team resumes practicing, but even if Minshew ends up keeping the job, he'll represent a low-end fantasy option. Over his eight appearances, Minshew has turned the ball over 12 times (eight interceptions, four lost fumbles) and has completed 148 of 221 pass attempts (67.0 percent) for 1,501 yards (6.8 YPA) and six touchdowns. Aidan O'Connell, currently on IR with a broken thumb, won't be eligible to return until Week 13.
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Raiders' Gardner Minshew: Benched for ineffectiveness
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Minshew completed 10 of 17 passes for 124 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions and rushed once for no gain before being replaced by Desmond Ridder with 5:02 remaining in the third quarter of Sunday's 41-24 loss to the Bengals.
Minshew's numbers underscore why he ultimately was replaced by Ridder, as the veteran signal-caller made little impact throughout his time in the game. Minshew failed to throw a touchdown for the third time overall this season, and he finished with under 200 yards for the fourth time as well. Ridder was able to lead one touchdown drive late, so it remains to be seen if a quarterback switch is in the offing during the Week 10 bye ahead of a Week 11 road matchup against the Dolphins.
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Raiders' Gardner Minshew: Starting Sunday
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Coach Antonio Pierce confirmed Friday that Minshew will be the Raiders' starting quarterback Sunday against the Chiefs, Heidi Fang of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
Aidan O'Connell came out of a Week 7 loss to the Rams with a broken thumb that forced him to injured reserve and will require 4-to-6 weeks to recover from. Minshew unsurprisingly will retake the reins of Las Vegas' offense, but he does have another experienced option behind him after the team signed Desmond Ridder off the Cardinals' practice squad earlier this week. Ridder will be the No. 2 QB on Sunday, while Minshew will make his fifth appearance of the campaign. In the first four, Minshew completed 52 of 82 passes for 455 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
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Raiders' Gardner Minshew: Benched for O'Connell
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Head coach Antonio Pierce said Wednesday that Minshew has been demoted to a backup role, with Aidan O'Connell named the Raiders' starting quarterback for Sunday's game against Pittsburgh, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Minshew kept the starting job for five weeks, going 2-3 while completing 70.7 percent of his passes for 7.2 yards per attempt with four touchdowns and five interceptions. His two worst statistical games were the most recent two outings, for which No. 1 wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) was inactive. O'Connell may also end up playing without Adams, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury and remains a frequent subject in trade rumors.
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Raiders' Gardner Minshew: No starter for Week 6 named
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Head coach Antonio Pierce declined to name Minshew or Aidan O'Connell the starting quarterback for the Raiders' Week 6 game against the Steelers during his Monday press conference, Tashan Reed of The Athletic reports.
Minshew completed 12 of 17 passes for 137 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions before being pulled for O'Connell in the third quarter of Sunday's 34-18 loss to the Broncos. Across four drives, O'Connell wasn't much more impressive, as he completed 10 of 20 passes for 93 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Minshew now has been benched twice in Las Vegas' last three games, so it looks like the team will seriously evaluate options at the quarterback position heading into a difficult home game against Pittsburgh this coming Sunday.
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Raiders' Gardner Minshew: Starting role in question
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Minshew completed 12 of 17 passes for137 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in Sunday's 34-18 loss to the Broncos. He added two rushes for 22 yards.
Minshew began the game fairly well, as he led the Raiders on two lengthy drives that resulted in 10 points -- the first of which was capped by a 57-yard touchdown pass. However, things stalled from there, with the low point coming on a 100-yard pick-six by Patrick Surtain. After five additional scoreless drives and another interception, Minshew was pulled late in the third quarter. That marks the second time he's been benched in the last three games, and after the loss, coach Antonio Pierce did not rule out a change under center, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
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Raiders' Gardner Minshew: Quarterback change not ruled out
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Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said Monday he hasn't ruled out the possibility of benching Minshew in favor of Aidan O'Connell to face the Browns in Week 4, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Pierce said he pulled Minshew for O'Connell late in Sunday's 36-22 loss to the Panthers to "look for a spark," per Tashan Reed of The Athletic, but the team doesn't appear to have yet made a firm decision as to who will start Week 4. Minshew completed 18 of 28 passes for just 214 yards, one touchdown and one interception versus Carolina, though a substantial portion of his production (including his lone TD) came in garbage time. O'Connell, for his part, completed nine of 12 passes for 82 yards and one touchdown, as he also took advantage of more lenient defensive looks late in the fourth quarter. In three regular-season games thus far, Minshew has failed to reach 300 passing yards on any occasion and has thrown exactly one touchdown and one interception in each contest.
Minshew is second in the NFL in passing yards and has two elite pass catchers in Davante Adams and Brock Bowers. The Panthers haven't stopped anyone all season, but I expect Andy Dalton to at least make them more competitive on the offensive side of the ball. If they stay in this game, Minshew could be a top-12 QB in Week 3.
Minshew completed 30 of 38 passes for 276 yards with a touchdown and an interception while rushing once for minus-1 yard in the Raiders' 26-23 win over the Ravens on Sunday. He also committed a fumble recovered by Las Vegas.
Minshew took his share of hits from the Ravens' aggressive defense, suffering five sacks on the afternoon. However, he and his teammates persevered, overcoming a 10-point second-half deficit to knot the game at 23 via Minshew's one-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams with just under four minutes remaining in the game. Minshew would eventually helm a game-winning drive capped off by a Daniel Carlson field goal, recording his first win in a Raiders uniform on an afternoon when he connected with seven different targets overall. Minshew and the Raiders next do battle with the reeling Panthers at home in Week 3.
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Raiders' Gardner Minshew: Key fumble in loss
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Minshew completed 25 of 33 passes for 257 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Sunday's 22-10 loss to the Chargers.
Minshew had a decent statistical performance and effectively spread the ball between several pass catchers. His touchdown came late in the first quarter on a dumpoff to Alexander Mattison, though he managed only 100 yards on 18 attempts in the second half to stall the Raiders' offense. Minshew also had a key mistake late in the second quarter when he fumbled on an attempted pass that led directly to three points for the Chargers. Overall, Minshew has shown the ability to help skill-position players in his offense produce, though his own numbers are more likely to remain pedestrian.
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Raiders' Gardner Minshew: Won't play in final preseason game
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Minshew and other starters won't play in Friday's preseason finale against the 49ers, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.
Minshew was competent but unspectacular this preseason, completing 16 of 33 passes for 212 yards in two games, without any touchdowns or turnovers. Raiders coach Antonio Pierce named the 28-year-old as his Week 1 starter Sunday, leaving Aidan O'Connell as the backup QB heading into a season opener on the road against the Chargers (Sept. 8). In the meantime, Minshew and O'Connell both will sit out the final preseason game, leaving Carter Bradley and Nathan Peterman to handle QB snaps.
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said Sunday that Minshew will be the team's starting quarterback to open the 2024 regular season, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.
Pierce also said that Minshew's experience was the deciding factor when awarding him the starting job over second-year signal-caller Aidan O'Connell, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic. The six-year veteran has started 37 of his 49 career games compared to 10 starts with a 5-5 record for O'Connell during his rookie season in Las Vegas. Minshew was also was named to his first career Pro Bowl with Indianapolis last year, when he tossed 15 touchdowns to nine interceptions and 3,305 yards across 17 games, and he completed 16 of 33 combined passing attempts for 212 yards and one touchdown over two games so far this preseason. It's still unlikely that he figures into the team's long-term plans at quarterback, but Minshew now will lead an offense lacking in proven receiving weapons other than star wideout Davante Adams (undisclosed), as Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker should round out the starting wideouts while tight ends Brock Bowers (foot) and Michael Mayer are likely to be featured as well. The Raiders will open the season on the road Sunday, Sept. 8 versus the Chargers.
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Raiders' Gardner Minshew: Leads three scoring drives Saturday
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Minshew completed six of 12 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 24-23 preseason loss to the Vikings.
While he wasn't exactly efficient, Minshew put points on the board quickly for the Raiders after taking the reins from Aidan O'Connell to begin the second quarter. Minshew tossed a 20-yard strike to DJ Turner for the game's first touchdown, then led two more scoring drives before halftime, including one capped by a two-yard TD plunge from Zamir White. The battle between O'Connell and Minshew for the Week 1 starting job would appear to be a dead heat heading into Las Vegas' next preseason contest against Dallas next Saturday.
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Raiders' Gardner Minshew: Gaining edge on O'Connell
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Minshew outplayed Aidan O'Connell during Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports
Minshew got the first reps with the first-team offense -- something that's rotated between him and O'Connell throughout training camp. The former proceeded to throw a pair of TD passes, while O'Connell didn't have any and was picked off twice. It's only one practice, but Gutierrez suggests that Minshew may be pulling ahead in the competition between himself and O'Connell. Still, the ongoing job battle bears close watching this preseason, with the Raiders likely to play their starters more than a lot of other teams will.
Minshew remains poised to compete with Aidan O'Connell for the starting job this offseason, with the Raiders not having added to the quarterback position in the 2024 NFL Draft, Mark Anderson of the Associated Press reports.
Minshew joined Las Vegas early in free agency back in March, and while it looked like the team was a candidate to add a rookie via April's draft, six quarterbacks came off the board before the Raiders' first-round selection of tight end Brock Bowers at No. 13 overall. Las Vegas also boosted the O-line with premium picks, selecting second-round guard Jackson Powers-Johnson and third-round tackle Delmar Glaze, so whichever of Minshew or O'Connell ultimately wins the starting role looks to be in a notably better position to succeed.
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Raiders' Gardner Minshew: Headed for Las Vegas
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Minshew has agreed to a two-year deal with the Raiders, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Per Pelissero, Minshew's deal is for $25 million and includes $15 million fully guaranteed. Given those reported numbers, Minshew should have a chance to compete with Aidan O'Connell for the Raiders' starting QB job. Minshew -- who turns 28 in May -- recorded 3,305 passing yards to go along with 15 TDs and nine picks in 17 regular-season games (13 starts) with the Colts in 2023. With Minshew on the way out, 2023 first-rounder Anthony Richardson, who is bouncing back from a shoulder injury, is poised to reclaim Indy's starting signal-caller assignment this coming season.
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Colts' Gardner Minshew: Quiet in win over Vegas
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Minshew completed 15 of 23 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 23-20 win over the Raiders. He added three rushing yards on two carries.
Minshew and the Colts leaned on their running game after taking a 14-3 lead into halftime, limiting the quarterback's production, but he did help pad that lead with a 58-yard TD strike to Alec Pierce late in the second quarter. Indianapolis remains in a three-way tie atop the AFC South with Jacksonville and Houston, and as a result Minshew could be asked to do a lot more in Week 18's tilt against the Texans with a potential division title on the line.
Matthew Stafford is available in 19% of leagues, he's a must-add, must-start QB this week. Jake Browning is available in 32% of leagues. I would start him over both Trevor Lawrence and Kyler Murray. But strictly based on our rule of guys below 65% roster rate, Gardner Minshew remains the best streaming option available.
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Colts' Gardner Minshew: Solid numbers in Week 14 loss
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Minshew completed 26 of 39 passes for 240 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the Colts' 34-14 loss to the Bengals on Sunday. He also rushed twice for five yards and threw a two-point conversion pass.
Minshew put together his usual reasonably solid numbers, finishing with his third straight productive effort through the air. Minshew connected with Mo Alie-Cox for his only touchdown pass, a two-yard toss late in the first half. The veteran signal-caller completed passes with eight different targets overall, and he'll aim to continue his current stretch of strong play against the Steelers in a Week 15 home matchup on Saturday afternoon.
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Colts' Gardner Minshew: Sleeper QBs
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I liked Minshew going into last week's game at Tennessee, and he delivered a standout performance with 22.7 Fantasy points, which was his best game since Week 7. Now, let's see if he can string together back-to-back quality Fantasy outings for the first time all season. It helps that he's facing a Bengals defense that has allowed five of the past six opposing quarterbacks to score at least 20.3 Fantasy points, and this is a big game for the Colts, who are in the mix for a playoff spot in the AFC. Minshew should be considered a low-end No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in Week 14.
