5 potential landing spots for Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew in 2021

Cam Newton is almost surely not coming back to New England next year. Bill Belichick’s unwillingness to give Jarrett Stidham a shot, even turning to Brian Hoyer when Newton missed a game with COVID-19 earlier this season, says it all about him. They will have cap space to burn this offseason, but it’s hard to tab a realistic pursuit of a quarterback via free agency or a trade (at least this side of Jimmy Garoppolo, if the 49ers want to move him).

The Patriots may completely overhaul their quarterback depth chart this offseason, with a clear-cut-starter and backup or additions to foster a possible competition for the starting job. With two years left on a sixth-round pick rookie deal Minshew would be somewhere in between, as a cheap flier and a likely backup to a starter that may be seen as vulnerable if they struggle.

If nothing else, Minshew would be worth acquiring as a flippable asset if he plays for a stretch next year and plays well. The worst case is he never plays next year, with the best-case being he pulls a shocker and shows himself as a possible quarterback of the future. Reality might be somewhere in the middle.

Any team with a quarterback question next year (or beyond) could have Minshew on their radar. The Patriots fit that bill.