Jim Nagy thinks the Patriots should trade for Gardner Minshew

With Trevor Lawrence all but guaranteed to be coming to Jacksonville, the media darling of the 2019 NFL season, Gardner Minshew, will likely return to the bench. Minshew would be one of the league’s better backup quarterbacks, but considering his age (just 24) and production over the last two seasons, it’s hard to imagine he’s seen his last chance to start at the highest level.

If the trade value is there for Minshew, the Jaguars could try to make a move and sign a veteran backup such as Alex Smith. But the question is, would any teams in need of a quarterback be willing to deal for Minshew? Jim Nagy, a former NFL scout and currently the director of the Senior Bowl, thinks Minshew would be a great fit with one of the league’s most successful franchises.

“I am a big believer in Gardner,” Nagy said on “Dale and Keefe” of WEEI Wednesday. “Whether it is the Patriots or somebody else, I think it is a really smart move to float a third (-round pick). If you could get him for a third or fourth-round pick, that’s an easy trade.

“ […] He knows how to play the position and he is mobile. He can make plays with his legs. He can run around and create. He’s got great leadership. There’s a ton to like there. I really hope Gardner gets somewhere that invests in him.”

Nagy certainly has a point that Minshew was destined to fail in 2020. They traded away veterans Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue, and A.J. Bouye, and lost two of their free agent signings in Rodney Gunter (retired/ heart condition) Al Woods (voluntary COVID-19 opt out). This gave them arguably the worst roster in the league and the team ended up with a 1-15 record. Minshew’s true level of ability probably falls somewhere in-between the flashes of brilliance he showed as a rookie and the malaise he demonstrated last season.

If there were legitimate interest from New England, it would make sense for Jacksonville to pursue a deal. It’s in full-on rebuild mode right now, and if it can stockpile additional picks in the first two days of the draft, it absolutely should.

But would the Pats want to make this deal? Well, the first year of the Cam Newton experiment was an abject failure. And even if he returns, coach Bill Belichick will likely try to bring in another option, whether it be through free agency or the draft. New England picks 15th, and there could be three or four quarterbacks off the board by then.

It doesn’t appear that there will be many free-agent options, so acquiring a young quarterback with starting experience could be a tantalizing opportunity for Belichick, who is coming off his first losing season with the Pats since 2000.