• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

The End of an Era: Case Keenum Traded to Buffalo

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
brownswire.usatoday.com

Case Keenum: What he brings to the Browns vs. Broncos as Cleveland's starting QB

Case Keenum: What he brings to the Browns vs. Broncos as Cleveland’s starting QB in place of an injured Baker Mayfield
brownswire.usatoday.com brownswire.usatoday.com

Keenum, now 33, played in Denver as the Broncos starting quarterback for the 2018 season. It did not go well. Keenum threw for 3,890 yards and 18 touchdowns, but also tossed 15 interceptions and ranked 29th in average yards per attempt. Those Broncos finished 6-10 in part because Keenum was not enough of an upgrade over the Trevor Siemian/Brock Osweiler combination from the year before.​
​
Broncos fans don’t remember Keenum fondly. Nor do Washington fans from the following season, where Keenum sputtered to a 1-7 record as a starter despite playing better than he did in Denver. He’s never been able to recapture the magic of his 2017 campaign with Minnesota, where he was brilliant with Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski as his QB coach.​
​
In that year, the hyper-efficient best of Keenum came out. He completed 67.6 percent of his passes, tossing 22 TDs against seven INTs after usurping oft-injured Sam Bradford. The Browns are hoping this version of Keenum resurfaces on Thursday night. And if he does, they have a chance.​
​
Keenum doesn’t have a big arm, nor is he a big guy capable of taking a lot of physical punishment. But he’s very good at taking what the defense gives him and at keeping the trains running on time, in a football context. The accuracy, the decision-making, the ability to create a little when the protection breaks down, these are qualities Keenum displays well at his best.​
​
There is no question he knows Stefanski’s offense, and he’s been in Cleveland long enough to have some chemistry with the receiving corps. As long as the Browns don’t ask him to play “hero ball” and try to win games by making difficult throws into tight coverage, Keenum can be fine. He’s generally regarded as one of the NFL’s top backup quarterbacks for good reason.​
​
Where fans will notice the biggest dropoff from Mayfield to Keenum is in the deep passing game. Keenum just doesn’t have the downfield velocity or accuracy when he has to uncork the deeper throws. Based on his history, Keenum isn’t as apt to look for those downfield shots, either. That constricts an offense that will already be without top RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and perhaps without both starting tackles once again.​
​
One of the reasons Mayfield works in Stefanski’s offense is his aggressiveness on deeper options and willingness to let it fly if a play goes off-script. Keenum can’t do that. As long as he’s not completely rusted over from inactivity, Keenum will do well enough operating the base offense. Hopefully that will be enough against a banged-up Broncos defense to squeak out a victory for the injury-ravaged Browns.​
 
Fascinating watching Keenum run the offense and the contrast to what Baker does. Keenum had far better protection today, but you can see where he’s a bit more comfortable going through progressions so it must be wildly frustrating for him knowing he doesn’t have the physical ability to capitalize on 30% of them. Baker, on the other hand, can make any throw he wants… but just hasn’t been seeing the field as of late.

All that said, I think a healthy Baker would’ve carved up the Broncos with some big throws. That underthrow to OBJ that would’ve gone for a TD is one that Baker excels at.
 
Last edited:
Case looked rusty and I'm still worried about his arm strength. That said, it's hard to win in the NFL and Keenum did enough to pull it out.

If he continues to be gun-shy on passing windows outside of the hash markers, we are going to be a very predictable offense.
 
ZooCrewDude said:
Fascinating watching Keenum run the offense and the contrast to what Baker does. Keenum had far better protection today, but you can see where he’s a bit more comfortable going through progressions so it must be wildly frustrating for him knowing he doesn’t have the physical ability to capitalize on 30% of them. Baker, on the other hand, can make any throw he wants… but just hasn’t been seeing the field as of late.

All that said, I think a healthy Baker would’ve carved up the Broncos with some big throws. That short throw to OBJ that would’ve gone for a TD is one that Baker excels at.
Click to expand...
There are no significant question marks with Keenum. We know what his ceiling is, and he was pretty close to it tonight. I give him a lot of credit for playing as well as he did on a short week.
 
Keenum is legitimately horrible and the Browns would have lost to pretty much any decent team with a pulse tonight.

He can run the dink and dunk stuff - the screens, flats and slants. He can run Stefanski's play action and boot stuff decently too.

But pretty much anything that's not that, he just can't do because he doesn't have the arm. Better defenses will absolutely eat his lunch.
 
Who is Fedor even talking to? Are there legitimately people who think Keenum should be our full time QB going forward even with a healthy Baker?
 
shoes22 said:
Who is Fedor even talking to? Are there legitimately people who think Keenum should be our full time QB going forward even with a healthy Baker?
Click to expand...
I think there are not an insignificant number of folks who would prefer Mullens at No. 2.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-14: "Time for Playoff Vengeance on Mickey"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:14: " Time for Playoff Vengeance on Mickey."
Top