Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
49ers Should Trade for an AFC South Quarterback
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
In an article I wrote back at the beginning of January, I argued that the 49ers must pursue Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson in a trade. I stand by that take, and in light of the moves they've made this offseason, I think it makes even more sense. However, the likelihood that a Watson deal gets done soon is slim, and it's not a guarantee, which is why there is another QB on an AFC South team that the 49ers should pursue right now:
Flint Gardner Minshew II, currently employed by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
I've been banging this drum, as well as fellow writer Tim Sprinkles, for about a month now. Today, Ian Rapaport reported that the Jaguars have received calls about the famously mustachioed gunslinger.
A trade for Minshew makes sense for the 49ers on a couple of levels.
- John Lynch has said, on multiple occasions this offseason, that the 49ers are looking to upgrade the backup quarterback position on the roster. Minshew would not only upgrade the backup position, but he could arguably challenge current starter Jimmy Garoppolo for the starting position.
- Minshew is incredibly affordable. In an offseason in which the 49ers have made left tackle Trent Williams the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history, along with moves to bring back fullback Kyle Juszczyk, cornerbacks Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley, and the signing of center Alex Mack and EDGE Samson Ebukam, the team does not have a lot of money to achieve the stated goal of upgrading the backup QB position. Minshew has two years remaining on his contract and according to Spotrac, he is due $897,721 in 2021, and $1.012 million in 2022.
A quick look at the numbers shows that Minshew is a more than capable NFL starter. According to Pro Football Reference, these are Minshew's stats for the previous two seasons with Jacksonville:
| Career Statistics |
| Season |
Team |
G |
ATT |
COMP |
PCT |
YDS |
AVG |
LNG |
TD |
INT |
| 2019 |
Jaguars |
14 |
470 |
285 |
60.64 |
3271 |
7 |
70 |
21 |
6 |
| 2020 |
Jaguars |
9 |
327 |
216 |
66.06 |
2259 |
6.9 |
51 |
16 |
5 |
| Total |
23 |
797 |
501 |
62.86 |
5530 |
6.9 |
121 |
37 |
11 |
Shanahan values quarterbacks who are accurate and good decision-makers and Minshew has shown both of those traits with a career 63% completion percentage and a 1.4% interception percentage.
The Jaguars drafted Minshew out of Washington State in the 6th round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The 49ers could use one of the three 5th round selections they have in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft to pry him away from Jacksonville, which seems like more than fair compensation in return.
Trading for Gardner Minshew is not a move to shore up the quarterback position moving forward, but it would give the 49ers the flexibility to keep Jimmy Garoppolo and have a capable backup, trade or cut Garoppolo and draft a 1st-round QB, or trade for Deshaun Watson and have a quality backup in place as well.
It's time for the 49ers to go get the quarterback who Jaguar fans lovingly referred to as "Uncle Rico."
I've already got my jean shorts ready.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.
More San Francisco 49ers News
49ers mailbag: Is Christian McCaffrey being overused? Should Spencer Burford be benched? Is Steve Wilkes who the defense needs? When is Nick Bosa going to show up?
The San Francisco 49ers are 2-0 to start off the 2023 season. In 2021, the 49ers won their first two games but then lost their next four. A win Thursday night, in the home opener against the New York Giants, would be the 49ers' first 3-0 start since 2019. That season, the team started out 8-0 before going on to win the NFC West and cruise through the NFC playoffs on their way to a birth in Super Bowl LIV.
I can't seem to remember how that game turned out, though. It's like it's been blocked from my memory.
It doesn't matter, because we've moved on to the current season. And to celebrate the 2-0 start, we've opened up the mailbag to answer those questions burning a hole in your mind. So let's get to it.
Marc, what did ya think of CMC channelling
Should the 49ers play WR Brandon Aiyuk in Week 3?
By Rohan Chakravarthi
Sep 20
The San Francisco 49ers are getting prepared for their home opener on Thursday Night Football against the New York Giants, who will be without a number of key players, including star running back Saquon Barkley and left tackle Andrew Thomas.
Meanwhile, the 49ers are entering the game relatively healthy, save for one tough, game-time decision to make with WR Brandon Aiyuk, who is currently nursing a shoulder injury that he sustained during his first catch last week.
Aiyuk has been listed as limited on both Monday and Tuesday, earning him a questionable designation heading into the Thursday Night matchup, and a resolution likely comes only 90 minutes before game time.
Should the 49ers play Aiyuk in Week 3, given the
Several former 49ers named among 173 nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024
The Pro Football Hall of Fame named the 173 nominees for its Class of 2024. Several former San Francisco 49ers players are on the list, as Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area pointed out.
Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees include ex-49ers Jeff Garcia, Ricky Watters, Charlie Garner, Brian Westbrook, Anquan Boldin, Justin Smith, Dana Stubblefield, Ted Washington, NaVorro Bowman, Takeo Spikes, Patrick Willis, Lee Woodall, Julian Peterson, Merton Hanks, Tim McDonald.— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) September 19,
Why 49ers Nick Bosa appears "sluggish" through two games
After missing this year's OTA's and Training Camp in a hold out effort for a new contract, San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Defensive End Nick Bosa finally became the highest paid defensive player in NFL history, just days before the team's week one matchup against the Pittsburg Steelers. Bosa signed a five-year $170 million extension with the team.
It's easy to say Bosa's slow start in that week one matchup was due to his holdout and lack of football activity with the team this offseason. However, to say that sluggishness carried over into their week two matchup against their division rival Los Angeles Rams isn't entirely true. Far too often players (especially defensive players) are critiqued on stats alone. While stats help players earn end of the year accolades, they don't
