Reunited Raiders: QB Gardner Minshew II & S Marcus Epps

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II is back with his old Philadelphia Eagles teammate, safety Marcus Epps.

Dec 14, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders safety Marcus Epps (1) reacts after forcing a turnover against Los Angeles Chargers running back Joshua Kelley (25) in the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Whenever a player joins a new team, it is always a luxury to have even a little bit of familiarity.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II has that with his former Philadelphia Eagles teammate, safety Marcus Epps. Minshew and Epps were together for two years in Philadelphia and were part of the 2022 team that made a run to Super Bowl LVII.

For Minshew, while the two units are quite different, it is important that he has good communication with the defensive backs.

"A guy like Marcus Epps I was with in Philly," Minshew told reporters on Tuesday. "He's always been a player I respect, a smart player, hard-nosed football player. Like anytime I get to kind of pick his brain or if he comes up to me [and says] 'Hey, that was nice,' we know we're on the right track and doing some good stuff when you get that overlap."

Minshew was a backup on that 2022 squad, while Epps was a full-time starter. Epps had a career season that year, posting 94 tackles, four for loss, a forced fumble, and six passes defensed. He started every playoff game as well and even played every defensive snap in the Super Bowl.

Epps spent three-plus seasons in Philadelphia after being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He recorded 203 tackles, four for loss, a forced fumble, 15 passes defensed, and three interceptions in 54 games as an Eagle.

Minshew, meanwhile, spent just two years with the Eagles, a stint that followed his first two NFL seasons as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

While in Philly, Minshew made just four starts in nine games and posted 1,102 passing yards and seven touchdowns. He appeared in the Eagles' first two rounds of that Super Bowl run but did not appear in the title game.

Epps and Minshew are both familiar with winning organizations. They have seen what the big stage looks like, and they know what it takes to get there. That experience is vital for a team trying to do the same.

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