Bucs Could Land Former Starting QB in Analyst’s Trade Proposal

Gardner Minshew Trade

Getty Gardner Minshew could be on the trade block.

Quarterback is not necessarily an area of weakness for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but some believe the team should take advantage of a unique opportunity. Bleacher Report’s Chris Roling created a list of trades each team should make heading into training camp and suggested an interesting in-state deal for the Bucs.

The proposal has the Buccaneers landing Garnder Minshew in exchange for the team sending the Jaguars their 2022 fourth-round pick. Despite being Jacksonville’s starter for the last two seasons, Minshew has become expendable after the Jaguars selected Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 pick.

“Granted, Minshew probably wants a shot to start in the league again after being displaced by Trevor Lawrence,” Roling detailed. “But learning behind Tom Brady before competing with second-round pick Kyle Trask (if Brady ever actually retires, of course) isn’t a bad outlook. Possibly an upgrade over Blaine Gabbert as an emergency starter and a better long-term option, kicking the proverbial tires on a Minshew trade could work for the Buccaneers.”


The Bucs Are Unlikely to Make a Deal for a QB After Drafting Trask in the 2nd Round

Landing an NFL quarterback who has started 23 NFL games with solid production for just a future day-three pick has appeal. That said, the Buccaneers are unlikely to explore such a move after using a second-round selection on Kyle Trask. The rookie quarterback has already drawn praise from Bucs head coach Bruce Arians and the rest of the staff. Arians compared Trask to another great quarterback he coached with the Colts: Andrew Luck.

“Mentally, [Kyle Trask] isn’t far behind what Andrew did in the same offense,” Arians noted, per USA Today. “What Andrew did that year was unbelievable. I’m not saying he is Andrew Luck, but mentally he is really, really sharp.”

The idea of selecting Trask with such a high pick with Tom Brady still on the roster is for the young quarterback to be able to learn from a legend. Tampa Bay already faces a difficult decision heading into training camp with four quarterbacks on the roster. Brady and Trask are also joined on the depth chart by Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin.


The Jaguars Appear to Only Be Asking for a Day 3 Pick for Minshew

There are plenty of reasons for the Bucs not to make a deal for Minshew, but the counter-argument is that Tampa Bay has a history of bringing in plenty of competition across positions under Arians. It was surprising when the Buccaneers signed Antonio Brown mid-season with Chris Godwin, Mike Evans and Scotty Miller.

The move made more sense when Godwin and Evans both dealt with injuries as Brown provided a bit of insurance. There is a bit of a difference between other positions and how teams handle quarterbacks. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Jaguars’ asking price for Minshew could be as little as a sixth-round selection.

“Minshew missed OTAs last week and wants a chance to compete for a starting job after throwing 37 touchdowns to 11 interceptions in two seasons,” Fowler noted on June 9. “San Francisco looked into this before trading up to take Trey Lance at No. 3 overall. And one source from another team said they believe Jacksonville would take a fifth- or sixth-round pick for him.”