TEMPE, Ariz. — Journeyman quarterback Gardner Minshew dropped back a few steps and then flipped a quick pass to rookie first-round pick Jeremiyah Love, who was cutting across the back of the end zone.
The Arizona Cardinals expect Love to catch those same touchdown passes during the regular season.
In a more surprising development, it might be Minshew who will be throwing them.
The 30-year-old Minshew has had an opportunistic streak over a seven-year NFL career, taking advantage of injuries and other circumstances to make 47 career starts for five different teams.
Now in the desert, he’s got another chance to earn playing time, joining a rebuilding franchise in its first season under coach Mike LaFleur.
“With every room you step in, you’ve got to go in and earn the respect of the guys,” Minshew said on Wednesday after the Cardinals’ voluntary workout. “I think that’s been a fun challenge. It’s been awesome to be greeted here the way I have. It’s been awesome blending with this offense and team.”
PHOTOS: Veteran QB Gardner Minshew emerges as starting option for rebuilding Cardinals
Minshew will be competing with Jacoby Brissett, Kedon Slovis and third-round pick Carson Beck for the starting job. The 33-year-old Brissett figured to have the inside track after throwing for a career-high 3,366 yards in 12 starts last season, but he hasn’t been at voluntary workouts while he seeks a restructured contract.
That’s given Minshew - known for his affable, laid-back personality - a head start on learning LaFleur’s offense.
“What you see from him every single day is his love of the game, love for the locker room, love for football in general,” LaFleur said. “Gardner is very confident and comfortable with who he is, just like a ton of our guys. That’s really all you want of people in that locker room or people in general.”
The Cardinals finished 3-14 last season, but have multiple intriguing playmakers on offense, including All-Pro tight end Trey McBride and receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson. Then there’s Love, who was taken with the No. 3 overall pick out of Notre Dame in April.
Minshew was a sixth-round pick in 2019 out of Washington State, where he learned under coach Mike Leach. He had his best NFL season in 2023 when he was a Pro Bowl selection for the Indianapolis Colts after throwing for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions over 13 starts.
Minshew compared LaFleur’s offense to Leach’s “Air Raid” approach because it’s built around making quick reads and precise throws. The quarterback first met LaFleur when he was preparing for the Senior Bowl in the pre-draft process for 2019.
The two hit it off- talking for hours about football. Seven years later, that connection helped bring them together in Arizona.
“The reason this (offense) does so well is it thrives off complementary looks and simplicity with the illusion of complexity through motions and similar formations,” Minshew said. “We really don’t do a ton off each look, but just enough to put a seed of doubt.
“The idea is we’re going to get really good at what we do. It gives the players a ton of confidence when we say ‘Hey, we’ve got these things, this is what we’re going to do, it’s your job to make it come to life.’ I think we’ve got the guys to do that.”
Minshew served as Patrick Mahomes’ backup last season with the Kansas City Chiefs. He got a chance to play late in the season after Mahomes suffered a season-ending ACL injury, but Minshew had a left knee injury against the Tennessee Titans in his first start that ended his season.
Now he’s got another chance with the Cardinals.
Whether it’s as a starter or a backup, he’s ready for whatever comes.
“At some point, someone’s going to better than you and they’re gonna play,” Minshew said. “At some point, you’ll be the best guy in the room and you’ll get a chance to play. All you really have is your opportunity to work and get better and enjoy it with the guys around you.”
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