Chris Thompson: Gruden Will ‘Do Everything He Can to Help His Starting Quarterback Out’

Jay Gruden will lead the Jaguars' offensive charge in 2020, and his biggest task will be to help Gardner Minshew navigate his sophomore season.

There is no secret that the Jacksonville Jaguars' success in 2020 is largely dependent on second-year quarterback Gardner Minshew II. But for Minshew to flourish in his first full season as a starter, he will need the proper support system.

The main cog in that support system? Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, who is in his first year composing the Jaguars' offense. Gruden has an extensive history leading an offensive attack thanks to his experience as head coach of the Washington Redskins from 2014 through the first five weeks of 2019.

Gruden also served as the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive coordinator from 2011-2013, overseeing Andy Dalton's first three seasons in the NFL, with the coach playing a big role in the Bengals making it to the postseason in each of his seasons with the team, including winning an AFC North title in 2013. In Gruden's three seasons with the Bengals, his offenses finished 18th, 12th, and sixth in scoring. Dalton threw for the most touchdowns (33) and yards (4,293) of his career under Gruden's tutelage in 2013. 

So on the surface, Gruden may be just the type of coach to get the most out of Minshew. But what do those who have actually played in his offense believe?

“I know that Jay and his offense, he’s able to adjust to what he has. He’s going to do everything he can to help his starting quarterback out and help his guy out," Jaguars running back Chris Thompson said Tuesday.

Thompson just joined the Jaguars' roster in the last several weeks, so he is still getting his first impression of Minshew and how he is gelling in Gruden's offense. But thus far, Thompson thinks the 24-year-old passer has picked up on the ex-head coach's scheme and what it requires out of the quarterback position. 

Luckily for Minshew, and the other offensive players on the Jaguars' roster, Thompson has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Gruden's offense. Thompson played under Gruden throughout the coach's entire tenure in Washington, and he has a great understanding of what Gruden requires out of his quarterback and skill players. 

Because of this, Thompson can be another resource for Minshew, along with Gruden and veteran tight end Tyler Eifert, who played in the offense in 2013 with the Bengals. And so far, Thompson says Minshew is asking all of the right questions to get a feel for how Gruden will set him up for success. 

"I think his offense is very diverse. That was something I was just talking to, letting Gardner know a little bit is about his offense," Thompson said. "He wants his playmakers to know what everybody’s doing cause he’s gonna line guys all up in different places.

"We had a couple of plays with the Redskins where we would put Jamison Crowder back at running back and then have me playing at the slot receiver spot in a bunch set. So just letting him know, he wants to put guys all over the place. So for him it’s not just knowing what you gotta do, but if you know what the guys around you are doing well it helps give him even more flexibility to do some things and open up that offense and I feel like for him, the more playmakers, he’s gonna spread the ball around, there’s not gonna be one guy that’ll be the full focus of the offense."

A big part of Gruden's offense and how it will set Minshew up for success, Thompson said, is how he will be creative in terms of getting everybody involved in the offense. Jacksonville has a top wideout in DJ Chark, but they have other players like Thompson, Chris Conley, Laviska Shenault, Josh Oliver, and others who could be utilized by Gruden while defenses key in on Chark.

"Obviously you’ll have your top targets. Like when I was with the Redskins, Jordan Reed, we knew he was that number one targeted guy, but you just never knew," Thompson said.

"Of course in third and three to five, a lot of those situations were towards—or were aimed—towards him. But I had my opportunities in there; Vernon Davis. And we had a lot of different receiver sets there too and he always made it work with the skill players he has. So that’s one thing I think the guys here and what I know as far as the players and the playmakers here that are in Jacksonville, I’m thinking it’s gonna be good for all those [guys]."