NFL trade deadline: Should Panthers call Raiders about a Gardner Minshew deal?

The Carolina Panthers may have an opportunity to add a relatively young quarterback at a low price.

DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 06: Gardner Minshew #15 of the Las Vegas Raiders warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on October 6, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. / (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers have a quarterback problem. That's been the state of affairs for over five years now, ever since Cam Newton's 2019 preseason foot injury. Since then the team has trotted out a veritable parade of different starting quarterbacks, from Kyle Allen to Taylor Heinicke to Teddy Bridgewater to Sam Darnold to Baker Mayfield to Andy Dalton and Bryce Young. (We may be missing a dozen or so other names, but you get the idea).

The situation has gotten worse over time until now Bryce Young and Andy Dalton, or more accurately Andy Dalton and Bryce Young amount to one of the weakest quarterback rooms in the league. However, with less than a month to go before the 2024 NFL trade deadline, an opportunity might have just opened up for the Panthers to buy low on one of those famous distressed assets that made team owner David Tepper his fortune.

Should Panthers call Raiders about Gardner Minshew?

Specifically, Carolina's front office might want to call the Las Vegas Raiders about a potential trade for Gardner Minshew, who just got benched in favor of Aidan O'Connell. The ending to that sentence should rightfully give Panthers fans some pause, as should Minshew's numbers this year, which are admittedly not good. Heading into Week 6, Minshew has posted just 1,014 passing yards, four touchdowns, five interceptions and a 41.1 QBR, good for 27th in the league.

Those stats sound bad, but when you look at what Minshew has had to work with they make more sense. Once they grant star wide receiver Davante Adams his trade request these Raiders may well have the worst offensive skill group in the entire league. Their receiver corps is almost as bad as the New England Patriots, they didn't want to pay Josh Jacobs so now they have no run game, and their offensive line is below average. They have the Panthers beat at tight end (as well as 30 other teams) with standout rookieBrock Bowers, but otherwise Carolina has a far-superior supporting cast on offense (at least when healthy) compared to the Raiders.

Minshew's stats as a starter won't blow anyone away, but he also hasn't had a lot of talent around him anywhere he's gone (except as a backup in Philadelphia). All together Minshew has gone 17-25 as a starter, but he put up some very-impressive numbers his first two years with the Jaguars despite a far-from-ideal situation. Minshew was solid as a backup with the Eagles and his numbers last year starting for the Colts were respectable, especially considering his receiver group.

We have always been interested to see what Minshew could do at this level with a great offensive line (the Panthers have one), an above-average wide receiver corps (check), a quality run game (check), and a sharp offensive playcaller (TBD but probably check). Minshew's defense in Vegas isn't doing his win/loss record any favors, and that would be the same in Carolina. Otherwise, it would be a big upgrade for him in just about every other department.

If the Panthers were to trade a late Day 3 draft pick to the Raiders for Minshew, he would come in as a much better option than Bryce Young (at least for now) and offers a higher ceiling than Andy Dalton. If he surpasses Dalton on the depth chart and shows promise in the second half of the season the Panthers could have him compete with Young for the QB1 job next year.

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