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Gardner Minshew, the Colts backup quarterback who was thrust into the starting lineup and nearly took the team to the playoffs, is going to Orlando.
The Colts announced on Tuesday that Minshew was going to the Pro Bowl as an alternate. This comes after he started 13 games and threw for 3,305 yards and 15 touchdowns against 9 interceptions. He also rushed for 3 touchdowns as well.
The selection of Minshew to the Pro Bowl does re-raise the question of if he will be back in Indy next season. After all, there was always a chance that some team would give him the opportunity to start; him now officially being a Pro Bowler certainly doesn’t hurt those chances.
If the Colts have the option to bring him back, they absolutely should. While he wasn’t spectacular, Minshew provided a steadying presence after Anthony Richardson was lost for the year with a shoulder injury. Without him, the season easily could have gone down the drain early. Instead, the Colts fought to the end, falling just short to Houston in Week 17 to miss the playoffs.
If the Colts do want to bring Minshew back, it will most likely have to be at a higher price than the 1-year, $3.5-million contract he signed last year. Indy is projected to have around $71.2 million in cap space this offseason. Hopefully they will use most of that to bring back players like Michael Pittman Jr, or to entice established free agents to come to the Colts.
However they choose to spend that money, they should make sure to save some of it for their backup signal caller. If Minshew gets the opportunity to start somewhere else, so be it, but this season emphasized the importance of having a good backup.
The Colts have one that just made the Pro Bowl. They would be wise to do what they can to keep him.
Listen down below to JMV’s reaction to the news that Gardner Minshew is going to the Pro Bowl, and make sure to tune into The Ride With JMV weekdays from 3-6pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan!
