Gardner Minshew Replaces Nick Foles As Jaguars’ Starting QB

The Jaguars announced Sunday that rookie Gardner Minshew will replace Nick Foles as the team’s starting quarterback for the second half of their game against the Buccaneers. 

Starting in the 2nd half. pic.twitter.com/0KkboYUpIq

— #DUUUVAL (@Jaguars) December 1, 2019

Jacksonville went into the half down 25-0 to Tampa Bay, so they could clearly use a spark on offense. 

Minshew, 23, was drafted by the Jaguars in the sixth round out of Washington State in the 2019 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year rookie deal worth $2.7 million and will make base salaries of $495,000 and 585,000 the next two seasons. 

In 2019, Minshew has appeared in nine games for the Jaguars and completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 2,285 yards (7.4 YPA), 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. He’s also added 235 yards rushing. 

Foles, 30, is a former third-round pick of the Eagles back in 2012. Philadelphia traded Foles to the Rams back in 2015 in a deal for QB Sam Bradford and he later signed an extension with the team.

Foles lasted just over a year with the Rams before he was released and later signed to a two-year, $11 million contract with the Eagles. He was set to make a base salary of $4 million in 2018 when he agreed to a restructured contract this offseason and later bought his free agency by paying back $2 million to the Eagles. 

From there, Foles agreed to a four-year, $88 million contract with the Jaguars that included $50.125 million guaranteed.

Entering today’s game, Foles had appeared in three games for the Jaguars and completed 68 percent of his passes for 643 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.