The Indianapolis Colts are one of the few NFL teams remaining in the quarterback market early in the 2023 offseason. With many of the top options now off the board, Indianapolis is reportedly eyeing a veteran with ties to the organization.
After hiring head coach Shane Steichen, Indianapolis made its intentions clear this offseason. The entire organization is on the same page about using its first-round pick on a quarterback, seeking the first face of the franchise since Andrew Luck retired.
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However, the Colts missed out on acquiring the first overall pick and the right to choose their next quarterback. With the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans now atop the 2023 NFL Draft, the Colts are expected to miss out on top prospects Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud.
While it still leaves both Anthony Richardson and Will Levis, they are viewed as project quarterbacks who shouldn’t be starters to open the 2023 season. With the front office seemingly bracing itself to pick a developmental signal-caller, the search for a reliable veteran to potentially open the season as the starting quarterback is underway.
According to Zak Keefer of The Athletic, the Colts are looking into Gardner Minshew as a free-agent quarterback option, someone who could provide competition to whoever the team selects in the 2023 NFL Draft in April.
Minshew remains on the open market days after many of his peers landed multi-year contracts. With Derek Carr, Jacoby Brissett, Jimmy Garoppolo, Taylor Heinicke, Andy Dalton, Mike White, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold all signed, Minshew is viewed as the best available option.
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- Gardner Minshew career stats: 93.1 QB rating, 44-15 TD-INT, 62.8% completion rate
Minshew would be very familiar with the offense Steichen wants to run in Indianapolis. While he only played in six games across two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, Minshew posted a 92.8 passer rating with a 7-4 TD-INT line and 1,102 passing yards with Steichen as his play-caller.
A sixth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the former Washington State star is also an experienced starting quarterback. He went 6-6 with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, posting a 91.2 passer rating and a 21-6 TD-INT line. While Jacksonville went 1-7 with Minshew as its starting quarterback the following season, he completed 66.1 percent of his pass attempts with a 16-5 TD-INT ratio and a 95.9 passer rating.
Minshew is looking for an opportunity to prove himself again as a starting quarterback and Indianapolis is the only team left who could offer him that chance. If Minshew signs with the Colts, he will likely be under center as the starter in Week 1.