Gardner Minshew injury puts (immediate) future with Jaguars in jeopardy

After further x-rays on Gardner Minshew, could the Jacksonville Jaguars be ready to start fresh?

Whether he’s a fad or a phenom, Gardner Minshew makes the Jacksonville Jaguars better than they truly are. Without him, the team’s likely sitting with a winless record and fighting for the top spot against the New York Jets in April’s draft.

Unfortunately, the Minshew Mania craze could officially be coming to an end in Week 8 if further testing doesn’t lean in the quarterback’s favor.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Minshew has multiple fractures and a strained ligament in his right thumb. Before his start against the Houston Texans earlier this month, the second-year quarterback started to feel discomfort but played through the pain. It was only after the team’s loss to the Chargers that Minshew addressed the issue to the team’s medical staff, leading to eventual X-rays.

As it stands, the Jaguars are on a bye, giving Minshew time to rest up and recover. However, if X-rays show severe damage, the 24-year-old could undergo surgery and miss Week 9’s matchup at home against the Texans, or perhaps even more time.

If Minshew misses time, Mike Glennon would start for the Jaguars

If Minshew’s injury forces him out of the lineup, veteran backup Mike Glennon would step into the starting job. Since 2017, Glennon’s played in four games, going 21-of-31 for 230 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also at least understands Doug Marrone and Jay Gruden’s simplistic play-calling after signing with the team earlier this offseason and has plenty of time walking to a from the sideline.

Could this be the sign Jacksonville needs to start fresh? Marrone stated earlier in a press conference that he could be making a switch at quarterback following the bye week. To Minshew’s credit, there’s only so much he, or really anyone for that matter, could do if the offensive pieces at hand.

In seven games, Minshew has thrown for 1,855 yards, 13 touchdowns, five interceptions and has a passer rating of 94.4 percent. The kicker is his ability to go deep, an area the team has struggled with all season. Minshew’s average pass only travels 6.9 yards per play, which statically is near the bottom of active starters.

It’s clear Minshew is a franchise guy for his personality. Production? Eh, not so much. If the team is ready to call it on the mullet man’s party, this would be the chance to cement themselves as a favorite in the “Tank for Trevor” or “Fail for Fields” race.