A day after parting ways with Matt Ryan, the Indianapolis Colts are adding some critical experience to their quarterback room.
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported Thursday that the Colts agreed to terms with veteran Gardner Minshew II. The deal is expected to be a one-year, $3.5 million fully guaranteed deal with upside for Minshew and Indianapolis, according to Pelissero. That upside, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport is that the deal can be worth up to $5.5 million. There are reportedly low thresholds on very reachable incentives for Minshew.
The Colts’ quarterback room was a disaster in 2022 as Indianapolis played musical chairs between Ryan, Sam Ehlinger, and Nick Foles. Minshew will join a room that includes Ehlinger, Foles, and possibly a first-round rookie quarterback. He’ll also reunite in Indianapolis with his offensive coordinator from a year prior, Shane Steichen, who is now the head coach of the Colts.
The 26-year-old Minshew played in five games for the Philadelphia Eagles last season, while starting in place of an injured Jalen Hurts on multiple occasions. Mineshew completed 57.9% of his passes for 663 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. In total, he started four games for the Eagles and recorded a 1-3 record.
Joining the Colts marks a return to the AFC South for Minshew, who spent two years with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who drafted him in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
[Tom Pelissero on Twitter, Ian Rapoport on Twitter]
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.