Urban Meyer: Open Competition Between Trevor Lawrence & Gardner Minshew For Starting Job

Jaguars HC Urban Meyer told reporters on Thursday that it is an open competition between quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Gardner Minshew for the starting job, per Michael DiRocco. 

We’re a month out before the start of the regular season and while many fully expect Lawrence to be the starter for Week 1, Meyer appears to at least want to be an illusion that Minshew could still win the job. 

Minshew’s name has come up as a potential trade candidate since the Jaguars selected Lawrence No. 1 overall, so it will be interesting to see what he’s able to do during the preseason.

Lawrence, 21, was a three-year starter at Clemson and a first-team All-American as a junior and ACC offensive player of the year in his final season. The Jaguars selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. 

Lawrence signed a four-year, $36,793,488 contract with the Jaguars that includes a $24,118,900 bonus. Jacksonville will have a fifth-year option to pick up in 2024.

During his three-year college career, Lawrence completed 66.6 percent of his pass attempts for 10,098 yards (8.9 YPA), 90 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He also rushed 231 times for 943 yards and 18 touchdowns in 40 career games.

Minshew, 24, is a former sixth-round pick of the Jaguars out of Washington State back in 2019. He signed a four-year rookie deal worth $2.7 million and made a base salary of 585,000 for the 2020 season. 

In 2020, Minshew appeared in nine games for the Jaguars and completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 2,259 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also rushed for 153 yards and a touchdown.