Jaguars To Stick With Gardner Minshew

Gardner Minshew initially landed the Jaguars’ starting quarterback job because of injury. He will now take over for a healthy Nick Foles.

The Jags announced Monday afternoon their sixth-round rookie passer has supplanted Foles. Despite the latter’s $22MM-AAV contract, Minshew relieved him during Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers. That setup will stick, which calls questions into Foles’ future.

Foles’ return from a broken collarbone injury brought two blowout losses — to the Colts and Jaguars — and the Bucs were delivering more of the same. However, Minshew oversaw a one-sided Jags defeat against the Texans and could not bring them back against the Bucs. He will have a chance to make his ninth start Sunday against the Chargers. The Washington State product went 4-4 while filling in for Foles.

Jacksonville gave Foles a four-year, $88MM deal — with $50MM guaranteed — despite seemingly no other serious suitors. The team had to make cap-related cuts because of its misstep with Blake Bortles, a move that forced them to carry $16.5MM in dead money this year. It might be too late for Doug Marrone to save his job, but the switch back to Foles certainly generates questions about the 30-year-old former Super Bowl MVP’s future in north Florida.

Foles has completed 65% of his passes this season. While Minshew sits at 61, the more elusive passer is averaging an additional yard per attempt — 7.3 to 6.3 — and has shown a better rapport with emerging wideout D.J. Chark. After throwing a touchdown pass Sunday, Minshew is up to 14 for the season compared to just five interceptions.

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