Indianapolis Colts QB Gardner Minshew has found himself back in the spotlight in 2023, a season where he was supposed to be the backup. After starting QB Anthony Richardson suffered a season-ending injury, Minshew has yet again found himself in a starting role.
Playing in his fifth year in the league, how much is Minshew being paid in 2023 to be a backup, and how much has he earned throughout his career?
What Is Gardner Minshew’s 2023 Salary?
Minshew signed a one-year contract with the Colts that is worth $3.5 million. The contract makes him the 36th highest-paid QB in the NFL.
Spotrac reports that the contract includes a base salary of $1.75 million and a signing bonus of $1.75 million, bringing the yearly cash hit to the Colts’ cap of $3.5 million in total.
In NFL terms, Minshew’s contract is quite simple, although there are some playing-time incentives included. He will earn an additional $500,000 if he plays 30%, 40%, 50%, or 60% of the snaps for the Colts in 2023.
Minshew has cleared all four benchmarks, earning him an additional $2 million for his services.
The contract pays Minshew less than other notable backups, including Tyrod Taylor, Mitchell Trubisky, Sam Darnold, Jameis Winston, and Taylor Heinicke.
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Considering Minshew will have started all but four games in 2023, the contract is a real bargain for Indianapolis. However, Minshew is a free agent again in 2024.
That means if the Colts want to retain him on the roster, then they will have to pay a much bigger contract to Minshew, given his leadership and performance during the 2023 season.
Minshew’s Net Worth
Drafted in the sixth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, Minshew signed a four-year rookie deal worth a little over $2.7 million. It included a signing bonus of $190,884, another $190,884 guaranteed, and an average salary of $677,721, according to Over The Cap.
He was brought in to add competition to the Jaguars QB room after they signed Nick Foles to a big contract before the start of the season.
Minshew quickly entered the starting lineup, starting 12 games in 2019. In total, he earned $1.3 million with the Jags.
However, in 2021, Minshew was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he saw out the remainder of his contract, earning him an additional $3.3 million. He then became a free agent and signed with the Colts.
Over The Cap estimates Minshew’s career earnings to be over $8.6 million. It is also estimated that before the 2023 season, Minshew had a net worth of roughly $2 million, but reporting is incomplete and unclear.
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