Gardner Minshew Heads to Indy, Leaves Eagles Seeking Another Backup QB

Notre Dame's Ian Book is Jalen Hurts' backup now, but Philly will need to find another one, and where might one come from?

Minshew Mania is headed west.

Not all the way across the country, but to Indianapolis. Jalen Hurts’ backup with the Eagles will get the chance to compete to start. Or at least he should.

Indy signed him to a one-year deal with a reported $3.5 million but can rise to $5.5M based on various incentives.

The Colts own the fourth pick in April’s draft and are expected to take a quarterback.

Perhaps Gardner Minshew, though, serves as a bridge to the rookie. The Colts also have Nick Foles and Sam Ehlinger.

Minshew started four games in two seasons with the Eagles. He was 1-3 in those games after winning his first start against the Jets and then losing three in a row, including back-to-back setbacks last year when Jalen Hurts missed two games with a shoulder injury.

He threw seven interceptions to four interceptions in nine games with the Eagles.

Minshew’s departure leaves the Eagles with just two quarterbacks under contract – Hurts and Ian Book.

Book, a Notre Dame product, was a fourth-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2021 but was waived after training camp last summer. The Eagles claimed him and had him on their 53-man roster all season, though he didn’t play.

The Eagles will be in search of another quarterback, probably a veteran.

Jacoby Brissett would have been a nice option, given his familiarity with head coach Nick Sirianni from their time together with the Colts, but Brissett signed a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders for $8M.

Given the Eagles’ recent affinity for Temple products, with defensive coordinator Sean Desai and linebacker coach D.J. Eliot each having ties to the Owls’ program, perhaps P.J. Walker would have made sense, but he went to the Chicago Bears.

The list is dwindling.

You know is still on it?

Carson Wentz.

Would the Eagles dare do that?

No way.

Is Matt Ryan ready to be a backup on a cheap salary?

Maybe.

Others still out there include Marcus Mariota, Teddy Bridgewater, and Mason Rudolph.

Either way, the Eagles are going to need somebody else, with Minshew gone.

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglestoday.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.