By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

Gardner Minshew has officially been traded from the Jacksonville Jaguars to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a conditional 6th round draft pick that could become a 5th rounder based on playing time. This news came very shortly after head coach Urban Meyer announced that first overall pick Trevor Lawrence would be the day one starter for the Jags. There was apparently a “quarterback competition” in camp but let’s be honest, it was always going to be Lawrence named as the starter. He is a generational talent that has been labeled “the best QB prospect of all time” by several professional scouts.

The official announcement is what made Minshew available via trade and the Eagles organization did not waste much time in acquiring him. In a corresponding move, third-string QB Nick Mullens was released from the team. Minshew will now likely serve as the backup to starter Jalen Hurts entering the 2021 NFL season but his role could actually mean more than just that. He has proven to be a capable player and has the ability to push Hurts and serve as an alternative option if things don’t work out as planned.

Gardner Minshew: Exceeding Expectations

Though his two seasons with the Jaguars were not great, Minshew demonstrated that he is a capable quarterback at the NFL level. In 23 total games played, he completed 63 percent of his passes for 5530 yards and 37 touchdowns with just 11 interceptions. While these numbers are mediocre, it’s fairly impressive considering the circumstances. He was only a 6th round draft pick out of Washington State and was considered more of a development project at best. He far exceeded those initial expectations and did it on a team with very little offensive talent surrounding him. Furthermore, he lacks the overall athleticism and arm talent of a typical NFL quarterback so it’s encouraging that he was able to overcome that and still find success.

Expected Role with the Eagles

Considering the very low price tag that the Eagles gave up to get him, this trade makes perfect sense for them. He is a safer option than anything they could draft in the 5th or 6th round because he has already proven that he can play at the professional level. The only other quarterback on the roster, besides Hurts, is Joe Flacco. His best days are long behind him and probably are never coming back considering he is already 36 years old. With the Eagles being a rebuilding team right now, Minshew makes a ton more sense than Flacco does as a back up. If the Hurts plan does not work out the way they want it too, they now have a realistic second option in Minshew.

This concept can also provide extra motivation for Hurts now that he knows there is a true backup on the roster behind him instead of just a roster filler and emergency replacement like Flacco. Hurts was decent last season, but he will have to progress as a player this year to gain the confidence from the Eagles organization that he is their long-term solution at quarterback. Last year in his rookie campaign, Hurts eventually took over the starting job from the disaster that was Carson Wentz. Hurts started the final four games of the season but appeared in 15 games total, completing 52 percent of his passes for 1061 yards and six touchdowns against four interceptions.

Based on passing statistics alone, Minshew actually has a much better track record so far. Granted it’s an extremely small sample size for Hurts, but that is definitely something to keep an eye on. Hurts will have to improve his passing numbers this season to show that he can be a starting quarterback moving forward. The thing that Hurts brings to the table that Minshew lacks is athleticism and in particular the ability to contribute in the rushing game. Hurts recorded 63 rushing attempts for 354 yards and three touchdowns last season in his limited role with the team and are expected to be a part of the rushing attack this season by design. In conclusion, Hurts will definitely begin the season as the starting quarterback, but the Eagles now have a “real backup plan” if he does not develop his passing game the way they hope he will.

The post What does Gardner Minshew bring to the Eagles? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Reese Nasser

Ben Roethlisberger has been doing this football thing for a long time now, and at a very high level. He has achieved nearly every accolade possible and in his now 18th season, Roethlisberger will look to prove that he is still capable of playing and making an impact. He has played in 233 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers and has led them to two super bowl victories. 

But as time has progressed, a new wave of quarterbacks have arrived in the AFC West. Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns, and Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals are all fighting for the top spot in the division. But is it Roethlisberger’s to lose? Where does he rank among the four quarterbacks within his division? Let’s take a look?

4. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

The second-year pro will have a lot to prove this season. But, after coming off of a torn ACL in his rookie season and only appearing just 10 games, he hasn’t proven to be better than any other quarterback within his division just yet. 

Burrow did show real promise in his rookie season and can’t be discounted due to injury. The pace that he was on during his rookie season would have been the greatest in Bengals history for a first-year quarterback. 

He has also proven to be a true leader for this Bengals team. He was a captain by week one and had the entire team supporting him all throughout his rookie season. 

With a strong second-year, Burrow should and will rise to a higher spot than fourth best in the division. 

3. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

The 39-year old quarterback threw for 26 touchdowns but also had 15 turnovers. The season also started out very well for the team as a whole as Big Ben led them 11 straight wins. 

But as the season reached the end, the Steelers team began to look much different. Over the last four games, Roethlisberger threw for eight touchdowns but also added four interceptions. 

In the Steelers only postseason game, Big Ben was outdueled by the younger Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. Big Ben threw four touchdowns but also four interceptions. While it may not have been an age issue, Big Ben did look different at points this season. 

The Steelers constructed the offense to be both faster and shorter. While it worked, it somewhat eliminated the options on offense. This puts Big Ben as the third best quarterback in this division.

2. Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns

Baker Mayfield proved to be a strong leader for this Cleveland Browns team. He played consistently throughout much of the season and was responsible for 27 total touchdowns. His biggest issue was turnovers but over the last nine regular season games, he threw only one interception.

The turn around that he made after week nine is worth noting. He looked like a completely different quarterback when he was on the field and his control of the team was clear. 

In the wild card round of the playoffs, Mayfield threw three touchdowns in a strong showing against the Steelers. He also played a valiant game against the Kansas City Chiefs that ended in a 22-17 loss. 

Baker will look to have a big 2021 season and a super bowl will be on the mind of everyone in the Browns organization. He has proven to not only be a top quarterback in the AFC West but also within the entire NFL. 

1. Lamar Jackson. Baltimore Ravens 

The 2019 MVP comes in as the #1 quarterback in the AFC West. Jackson has proved to be a top quarterback in the NFL and has consistently led the Baltimore Ravens to success. 

In 2020, Jackson and the Ravens had an 11-5 regular season. Their season came to an end in the divisional round to the Buffalo Bills. This was one of the few games where Jackson appeared average and he and the rest of the Ravens struggled with a strong Bills team.

Throughout the 2020 season, Jackson showed that 2019 was no fluke. He threw for 26 touchdowns and 2,757 yards. He also added another seven touchdowns on the ground and ran for over 1,000 yards. 

He led the division in touchdowns and achieved this success while having a receiving core that ranked near the bottom of the league. 

Now that the Ravens added two strong receivers in the draft, Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace, you can expect to see an even bigger season out of Lamar in 2021. His potential, along with the rest of the Ravens, could be unmatched. 

Big Ben has had a long and successful career but younger quarterbacks are slowly starting to catch up and surpass. While 2021 could be a resurgence, one last push, he is still the third best quarterback in this division, at least for now. 

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