Gardner Minshew: My role is just ‘playing point guard’ in Raiders offense
Newly named Las Vegas Raiders starting quarterback Gardner Minshew isn’t going to try to do too much in Luke Getsy’s offense. The veteran signal-caller knows his job is just to let playmakers make plays.
“My role in this offense is to make good decisions,” he said Tuesday, via Sports Illustrated. “We have guys that are going to get open — getting them the ball, playing point guard. And keeping us on track. I think we’ve got the guys that can make our plays explosive, that can add on top of the play that are already there. Really make it come alive.”
Coach Antonio Pierce named Minshew the Week 1 starter following the club’s second preseason game. The journeyman beat out second-year signal-caller Aidan O’Connell, who started 10 games last season in Vegas, for the gig.
Minshew has started 37 games over his five years in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts.
The 28-year-old spearheads an offense with pass-catching playmakers, including star Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, speedster Tre Tucker and tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer. Minshew is astute in realizing he doesn’t have to make every play. With that quintet, he just has to distribute.
“Playing point guard out there, helping our team, taking care of the ball,” Minshew added, describing how he views his job. “Just trying to win any way possible.”
Minshew likely won the job over O’Connell due to his ability to make things happen after the play breaks down and his agility on the move, including rollouts, something Getsy has used liberally in the past. The key for the veteran quarterback will be avoiding the ghastly turnover, which has plagued him at times.
The Raiders inked Minshew during the offseason to a bridge-QB contract. The future long-term signal-caller might not be on the roster, but Minshew is ready to build that bridge to somewhere.
“I think if you do those two things, you’re going to have a good day, you’re going to get better and you’re really going to enjoy yourself, man, and the one thing I figured out is being a quarterback in this league is all about winning,” he said. “If you win, nothing else really matters, and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to try to figure out how to win games around here.”
