Gardner Minshew II just reminded everyone why Minshew Mania is a thing. This time, he came in for quarterback Jacoby Brissett, igniting new life into a struggling Arizona Cardinals offense.
Arizona was down 17-3 on the road against the Dallas Cowboys when head coach Mike LaFleur made the switch. The Cardinals managed to win 33-30 in overtime thanks to a 20-point fourth quarter. This offense was far more explosive with Minshew compared to Brissett. He finished with 188 yards passing and 3 touchdowns.
Hopefully, LaFleur decides to keep Minshew as this team's starter heading into Week 9 against the Seattle Seahawks, though that remains to be seen. Another option the Cardinals should also consider is taking advantage of Brissett's strong audition on the trade market.
Gardner Minshew II may have just boosted his trade value for Cardinals
This unlikely comeback could potentially boost Minshew's trade value, or be the thing needed to convince a general manager that he's the answer to their problems.
A potential reunion with the Philadelphia Eagles makes sense, with Jalen Hurts expected to be out for the year. Minshew has proven to be the strong stopgap option the Cardinals hoped for in Brissett when they reworked his deal this offseason.
In the short term, LaFleur could continue starting Minshew to help unlock the rest of their offensive weapons. But this rebuilding Cardinals team also continues to play the long game, and should now see what the market is for Minshew leading up to the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
Arizona will hopefully turn to Carson Beck later in the season regardless. So it makes sense to trade at least one of their veteran quarterbacks between Minshew and Brissett. Between the two, Minshew has been considered the more likely trade candidate largely because his smaller contract makes him a more flexible piece to move.
But could he also simply be the better quarterback overall? He certainly appears to be in Arizona, but they shouldn't let that make Minshew off limits in trade talks. If anything, it should give the Cardinals an increased sense of urgency to see if they can capitalize on his increased value after pulling off this comeback against the Cowboys.
As exciting as Minshew was, the Cardinals know he's not the long-term answer, as he doesn't fit this rebuilding timeline at 30 years old. Whether it's Beck or more likely someone in the first round of the 2027 NFL Draft, Arizona still needs to find its long-term signal caller. And with Minshew on an expiring deal, this is a great opportunity for them to flip him into future assets.
These trades on the margins will add up to a stronger infrastructure around whoever that incoming quarterback may be. And with Minshew Mania picking back up after how well he played Sunday, the Cardinals should capitalize on this trade window.
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