Colts QB $11.5 Million Prolific Key Star Player Signs Two-Year Deal With Las Vegas…
One of the biggest questions for the Las Vegas Raiders heading into the NFL offseason surrounded the quarterback position and the team’s intentions moving forward. Although Aidan O’Connell played reasonably well considering the situation he was thrust into, the Raiders want to win and win now, so an upgrade is needed.
That said, the team has been rumored to be considering several different options, including trading up in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft to bring in Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels or another talented rookie like J.J. McCarthy from the University of Michigan. Trading for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is another option the team was rumored to explore.
However, it appears the team will be going the veteran route for the time being, with the Raiders reportedly agreeing to terms with Pro Bowler Gardner Minshew on a two-year deal, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
The veteran quarterback is signing a two-year, $25 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Monday. Minshew’s new contract includes $15 million in fully guaranteed money, per Pelissero.
Although Minshew isn’t exactly a game-changer for the Raiders, as he will be expected to replace Jimmy Garoppolo when he’s ultimately released, he still brings a certain amount of stability to the position. Minshew is coming off one of his best seasons on the professional level, as he led the Colts to a 7-6 record after taking over as the starter due to injuries.
In the 17 games he did play for the Colts in 2023, Minshew threw for a career-high 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions while also rushing for 100 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
These stats won’t blow anyone away, but they were enough to earn him his first Pro Bowl nod while also impressing the Raiders brass enough to sign him during this free-agency period.
The real question now will be what are the team’s intentions heading into the 2024 NFL Draft, as there’s been a lot of speculation about the team trading up for a quarterback. Las Vegas could try to go that route or stick with Minshew for at least a year while having O’Connell learn behind the Pro Bowler for a season.
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Green Bay Packers Fans React to Aaron Jones Doing the Unthinkable
The Green Bay Packers decided to release Aaron Jones on Monday after being with the team since 2017. They signed running back Josh Jacobs on Monday also, and he has played his entire career with the Las Vegas Raiders before coming over.
On Tuesday morning, according to sources reported by The Athletic’s Dianni Russini, Aaron Jones signed a one-year deal worth $7 million with the Minnesota Vikings.
This is not the first time that another former Packers player has played for the Vikings. Wide receiver Greg Jennings and quarterback Brett Favre have also played for both Green Bay and Minnesota throughout their NFL careers.
Jones a season ago with Green Bay finished the season with five consecutive games of 100 yards or more rushing. He rushed for 656 yards on 142 carries and two touchdowns, along with averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Jones also caught 30 passes for 233 yards receiving and one touchdown, with averaging 7.8 yards per reception. He also was targeted 43 times.
Green Bay Packers Fans Respond to Running Back Aaron Jones Signing With the Minnesota Vikings
The Packers fans were very surprised when Jones signed with the Vikings on Tuesday morning. There were other NFL teams that wanted to sign him, but Minnesota beat everyone to it. This is what some of the Green Bay fans had to say on Twitter when Jones signed his contract with the Vikings:
Going from Jordan Love to Sam Darnold as his quarterback next season is certainly a choice for him. However, Jones is going to be the three-down running back on the Minnesota Vikings because Ty Chandler and Cam Akers are the second and third options in the Vikings running back room. Jones was also dealing with some hamstring injuries last season in Green Bay.
There are a lot of mixed emotions on Tuesday with Jones going from the Packers to the Vikings. A lot of Green Bay fans are also wishing him well, but not the two times when they face the Vikings in 2024 however.