Report: Gardner Minshew has multiple thumb fractures

[Jaxson De Ville]

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We’ve officially reached the excuse-making stage of the Jaguars’ latest lost season.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Jacksonville quarterback Gardner Minshew has multiple fractures and a sprained ligament in his thumb. Per the report, Minshew concealed the injury from the team, which is another way of saying the team didn’t disclose the injury on the various injury reports since the injury happened on October 11 against Houston.

Minshew reportedly told the team about the injury after Sunday’s loss to the Chargers.

The injury opens the door for the Jaguars to potentially give Mike Glennon a whirl when the Jaguars emerge from their bye, with a game against the Texans. Then, they can go back to Minshew when he’s healthy.

Setting aside the question of whether the Jaguars knew or should have known about the injury, and whether and to what extent any team has an obligation to ask a player who isn’t playing well whether he’s hiding an injury, the news underscores the reality that, after a promising Week One win over the Colts, the Jacksonville season has gone sideways.

It may continue to go sideways. After a Week 10 game against the Texans, seven of the Jaguars’ final eight games will be played against playoff contenders.

Which puts the Jaguars squarely in the mix for Trevor Lawrence, regardless of whether they’re actually trying to end up there.