With Drew Stanton‘s contract up, the Browns may be moving in a different direction at backup quarterback. Case Keenum is on the team’s radar, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Both Stanton and Keenum signed two-year contracts in 2018. Keenum was tabbed to be the Broncos’ starter that season, but Denver traded him to Washington. He is expected to draw interest as a backup or potential bridge starter this offseason, and the Browns’ head coach choice points to Cleveland being a fit.
Kevin Stefanski worked with Keenum during his best NFL season, when the latter led the 2017 Vikings to a surprising NFC championship run. While Pat Shurmur called Minnesota’s plays, Stefanski was Keenum’s position coach and played a key role in the passer leading all quarterbacks in 2017 DVOA.
Chase Daniel could also be a fit, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (on Twitter), but Keenum is the first name to be connected to the Browns’ search for Baker Mayfield‘s next backup.
Since coming into the league with the Texans as a 2012 UDFA, Keenum has started 62 NFL games — including 24 over the past two seasons. The 31-year-old passer finished with a 64.7 completion percentage with the Redskins, throwing 11 touchdown passes and five interceptions. That TD-INT ratio was considerably better than the 18-15 ratio he compiled in his one Broncos season.
Stanton missed all of last season with a knee injury and joined the Browns during since-departed GM John Dorsey‘s tenure. He did not play a regular-season snap as a Brown. Garrett Gilbert is expected to remain with the team, per Cabot.
Yet ANOTHER PLAYER, (See Wright, Jarius & McKinnon, Jerrick) that just should have stayed with the Vikings.
Wouldn’t be surprised if he out performed Mayfield
The perfect scenario would be to sign Landry Jones (after the XFL season) and have him humiliate the Steelers.