Case Keenum

The Texans signed the 35-year-old Keenum to a two-year deal in March to serve as a mentor to team's next quarterback, which wasn't known at the time. Since then, Houston drafted Ohio State's C.J. Stroud with the second overall pick. Keenum has been around the NFL block during a 10-year career, including two stops with Houston. It's possible, though highly improbable, that new head coach DeMeco Ryans doesn't have Stroud starting Week 1 against the Ravens. In that event, Keenum could potentially get the call over Davis Mills.

Once a highly-acclaimed college signal-caller, Keenum finds himself with his eighth squad in eleven seasons. That's bona fide journeyman territory, but it doesn't mean Keenum isn't a capable backup for franchise quarterback Josh Allen. The 34-year-old has 56 regular season starts on his NFL resume', including two last season with the Browns.

Keenum was viewed as an insurance policy for coach Kevin Stefanski in case Baker Mayfield didn't work out. The two worked together in Minnesota, and Stefanski trusts the veteran quarterback. As it turned out, Mayfield was just fine and Keenum played a mere 15 snaps over two games in 2020. If he's needed, the Browns have enough talent surrounding him, and Keenum now has enough familiarity with the offense to be a competent replacement.

Keenum was on his way to ceding the starting job in Washington to Dwayne Haskins last year, but it took a Week 9 concussion for it to finally happen. Keenum returned as the backup, though he started once more because of a Haskins ankle injury Week 17. The veteran didn't do much in Washington (6.9 YPA, 11/5 TD/INT in 10 games) and his days as a starting QB are probably behind him. He signed in the offseason with the Browns, whose new head coach, Kevin Stefanski, was Keenum's position coach in Minnesota in 2017 when the quarterback had the best season of his career. Keenum will back up Baker Mayfield and, presumably, mentor the third-year quarterback, something that seems suited to a journeyman whose on his sixth franchise since entering the league in 2012. If Keenum is forced into action, he could probably hold his own with the Browns' many weapons - Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, Nick Chubb, Austin Hooper - and a rebuilt offensive line that features $42 million free-agent Jack Conklin at right tackle and 10th overall pick Jedrick Wills at left tackle. But for the Browns' sake, let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Things didn't go as well for Keenum in Denver last year as they did in Minnesota in 2017. He had 105 more attempts with the Broncos but gained only 343 more passing yards, as his YPA fell to 6.6 and his completion percentage dropped to 62.3. Keenum went backward last year in the areas that propelled him the previous year. He didn't protect the ball as well, ranking 21st in INT rate as he more than doubled his interceptions from seven to 15. And in the red zone, his passer rating fell to 75.1, third lowest among 31 qualified QBs as he converted just 15.7 percent of his 70 red-zone attempts into touchdowns, tied with Marcus Mariota for last. No surprise, for the third year in a row, Keenum is on to a new team. Now with the Redskins, Keenum defeated first-round pick Dwayne Haskins in a summer battle for the Week 1 starting job. The rookie has superior size and arm strength, but Keenum has the experience and poise that could make him better suited for a game-manager role in an offense with few playmakers. Haskins likely will see the field at some point, so Keenum is working on limited time.

It took an injury to Sam Bradford for Keenum to become the starter last season, but once he took the reins it looked like he should've had them all along. Keenum finished second in the league in completion percentage and guided the Vikings to the NFC championship game. He did it by protecting the ball (4th in INT rate), staying poised in the pocket (5th in passer rating vs. the blitz) and dominating in the red zone (3rd in passer rating), where he took just two sacks and was one of five QBs with at least 16 touchdowns and no interceptions. Keenum struggled throwing beyond 20 yards downfield, though, ranking 29th in both completion percentage (24.4) and YPA (8.2). It was still enough for the Broncos to give him a two-year, $36 million contract. In Denver, he has top-notch wideouts in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, and the team drafted 6-4 Courtland Sutton in the second round. After more interceptions (22) than TD passes (19) last year, the Broncos at least have a quarterback who will take care of the ball. But unless Keenum's downfield skills improve, his fantasy stock looks limited, even with more attempts as the 16-game starter.

Keenum was signed by the Vikings during the offseason to serve as starting quarterback Sam Bradford's backup, but that all depends on the health of former first-rounder Teddy Bridgewater (knee). Keenum, who began his 2016 campaign as the Rams' starting quarterback, threw for 2,201 yards, nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing 60.9 percent of his passes before he was benched in favor of last year's first overall pick, Jared Goff. Hopefully for Minnesota, Keenum won't need to be thrusted back into a starting role, but he's capable of providing quality depth behind Bradford for as long as Bridgewater remains sidelined.

After an incredibly productive college career at the University of Houston and a few seasons on the bench with his hometown Texans, Keenum wound up in St. Louis last season and eventually found himself in the starting lineup when Nick Foles completely fell apart. While his decision making and ability to limit mistakes served him well as a backup, Keenum's lack of size and arm strength prevent him from profiling as a true starting-caliber QB in the NFL, and the organization made it clear what they thought of both him and Foles when they paid a king's ransom to trade up to the first overall pick for Jared Goff. Foles is now on the trading block, but the Rams' heavy investment in Goff should ensure he's the Week 1 starter, potentially leaving Keenum as the most experienced option behind a rookie QB. The Rams' offense will mainly be in the hands of Todd Gurley, both to limit Goff's exposure and due to the lack of dangerous receiving options on the roster. Even if Goff struggles and Keenum is pressed into service once again, there's no reason to expect much improvement on his 2015 numbers.

Keenum started a pair of games for Houston in 2014 but didn't have much success, throwing for 435 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He's most likely to get the backup spot out of him, Austin Davis and Sean Mannion, but it's unlikely he will see the field much.

Keenum, who finished the 2013 season as the Texans' starting quarterback, was first dropped to the top backup slot behind veteran newcomer Ryan Fitzpatrick, and then eventually let go when Ryan Mallett was acquired by the team in August. He was subsequently claimed on waivers by the Rams to work behind Shaun Hill.

Keenum will serve as Houston's third quarterback in 2013 season, playing behind Matt Schaub and T.J. Yates.

Keenum signed with the Texans as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Houston where he led the nation in yards (5,631) and touchdowns (48) in 2011. He enters training camp needing to adjust to life under center in the NFL and will compete with John Beck to be Houston's third-string quarterback. After starter Matt Schaub, the Texans get pretty young at the position. Probably younger than a conference-title contender wants to be, which may work in Beck's favor.