Tag: Case Keenum

Bears insider says starting QB job is Mitchell Trubisky’s to lose

The Bears are expected to address QB in free agency and the NFL Draft, but that doesn’t mean Mitchell Trubisky won’t be the guy in 2020.

One of the hot topics coming out of the NFL Scouting Combine centered around how the Bears are going to handle their quarterback situation heading into the 2020 season.

Mitchell Trubisky’s struggles last season were well-documented, and his future as Chicago’s signal caller is in question. The Bears are expected to address the position in free agency and possibly the NFL Draft, although that doesn’t mean Trubisky won’t be the guy heading into 2020.

ESPN’s Matthew Berry talked to a Bears insider at the NFL Combine, and it sounds like Chicago’s starting quarterback job is Trubisky’s to lose at this point.

I asked a Bears insider who will be under center for the first play of the 2020 season. The answer? “Mitchell Trubisky, and it’s a handoff.” And then they laughed. The expectation is the Bears will bring in a veteran to compete with or back up Trubisky, but while the leash is short, it’s still Mitch’s job for now.

While Trubisky was far from the only issue on offense in 2019, he was one of the biggest. So it’s not really a surprise that offseason conversation has shifted to experienced veterans coming in to challenge Trubisky this offseason.

One of those veterans that has been mentioned as a possible suitor for the Bears is Andy Dalton, who the Bengals are looking to trade this offseason.

General manager Ryan Pace made it clear that the Bears will be bringing in quarterbacks this offseason, which only makes sense considering Trubisky is currently the only quarterback under contract in Chicago.

Whether that quarterback is Dalton or another experienced veteran like a Case Keenum, it sounds like the Bears will give Trubisky one last chance to prove everyone wrong.

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Report: Case Keenum could land with Browns

The former Redskins quarterback might head to the AFC.

Case Keenum might not be an option for the Washington Redskins this offseason.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, the Cleveland Browns have thrown out Keenum’s name as a potential option to back up Baker Mayfield.

That would leave Ron Rivera and the Redskins without at least one notable option to serve as a mentor for Dwayne Haskins.

Keenum had previously made it clear he wants to get a shot as a starter again somewhere. That’s not going to happen in Washington, but if it was clear the opportunity wasn’t going to arise anywhere, there was an outside chance the Redskins might’ve been able to get him back.

The veteran spent last year with the Redskins, getting in just 10 games. This bit of news comes at a time of strange potential flux at the position in Washington after Rivera made it clear the team would take a look at Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa.

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5 backup quarterbacks Jets should target in free agency

The Jets need a better backup behind Sam Darnold in 2020. Here’s a look at some available options.

Sam Darnold is the future of the Jets franchise, but for two years the team has not employed a backup quarterback capable of leading the team in Darnold’s absence. That needs to change this offseason after Darnold missed three games with mono a year after missing another three games with a foot injury. The Jets went 0-6 during those games without Darnold, and Joe Douglas should invest more money in the position as he begins to explore free agency.

There are some good options in free agency for Douglas to look at and bring in behind Darnold. They’ll look at quarterbacks with a good mix of experience, age and production that won’t cost more than $5 million against the cap in 2020. Yes, that’s a lot of money to pay a backup, but considering how poorly the likes of Luke Falk and David Fales played in 2019, it’s worth it.

Here are five backup quarterbacks the Jets should look at in free agency.

(Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports)

Case Keenum

Keenum should be No. 1 on the Jets’ backup quarterback radar. He’s experienced and productive enough to play in a pinch, but not a real threat to Darnold’s job and not so old that he couldn’t run an offense. Keenum, who recently turned 32, has 62 starts for six different teams in nine seasons and even lead the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship game in 2017. During his career, he’s completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 14,368 yards and 75 touchdowns – including two 3,000-yard passing seasons as a full-time starter for the Vikings and Broncos from 2017-18.

The Redskins gave Keenum a one-year, $3.5 million deal in 2019; he’d likely command a similar contract this offseason. While not too expensive, that’s still $650,000 more than what the Jets gave Trevor Siemian and David Fales combined this past season.

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Cleveland Browns 2020 free agency: 9 prime targets

Cleveland Browns 2020 free agency: 9 prime targets

The Cleveland Browns currently have over $58.3 million available in cap space, 9th-most in the NFL, after the releases of T.J. Carrie (DB), Adarius Taylor (LB), Eric Kush (OG), and Demetrius Harris (TE).

Having so much in available cap space is both a blessing and a curse. The Browns are blessed because they have the financial flexibility to go after free agents in a way 23 other teams cannot. They are cursed because their fanbase will spend all offseason looking at the large number and expecting the Browns to bring in every high-priced free agent on the market.

Just to have a little fun, here is a look at some of the key free-agent pieces the Browns could bring in.

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3 players the Redskins should let walk in 2020 free agency

The Redskins are unlikely to retain these three players once free agency rolls around, allowing them to find a new team.

As the free agency period in the NFL starts to draw near, we’ve focused a lot on the players that the Washington Redskins need to try and retain, and several more that they need to try and bring in from outside of the team.

Just as important, however, are the decisions that they need to make on current players who are set to become free agents in 2020. While it seems crucial for the Redskins to try and keep players like Brandon Scherff and Ereck Flowers around, who can Washington allow to walk on to the open market? These top three names might be free to look elsewhere once March 18th rolls around.

Chris Thompson — Running Back
NEW ORLEANS, LA – OCTOBER 08: Chris Thompson #25 of the Washington Redskins runs with the ball as Kurt Coleman #29 of the New Orleans Saints defends at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on October 8, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Things never really worked out for Thompson in Washington, unfortunately, and it seems that he’s likely missed his window to be a feature back in the Redskins’ offense. When healthy, Thompson was a solid piece for seven years with the Redskins, but he only amassed five total touchdowns in that time, and he often struggled to fight off injuries. missing 46 games over that period.

While he still holds value as a third-down back when he’s on the field, it’s likely that the Redskins will be able to move away from him in 2020, as they have Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice shouldering much of the load, and a wildcard in Bryce Love will be available as well. Love, who is virtually a younger and more decorated version of Thompson, has a high ceiling that is almost guaranteed to give the Redskins the confidence to let Thompson walk in free agency this year.

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Dwayne Haskins is excited for a QB competition in Washington

Haskins won’t be handed the QB1 spot this season; he’s going to have to beat out whoever the Redskins bring in to compete with him.

After starting out his NFL career on the sidelines, waiting for a chance to take the field behind Case Keenum, Washington Redskins’ rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins finally got the opportunity to become a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Now he doesn’t have any plans to give up that job.

With a new coaching staff in place for the Redskins, Ron Rivera has made it clear that he plans to give multiple people a shot at the QB1 job in Washington, and that the starting spot won’t just be handed to Haskins simply because that’s where he ended the year in 2019. That seems to be fine with Haskins, who is confident that he can make it out with the top job once again this year.

“That’s cool,” Haskins said of a QB competition, via NBC Sports Washington. “I’m just going to have to work hard and eventually take it over. Just do your best to be accountable for what you have to do and be ready to go.”

Haskins did a lot near the end of his rookie year in order to win the confidence of the Redskins fanbase. While his first several weeks were marred with rookie mistakes, his final two games of the year were pretty impressive — he threw for four touchdowns and zero interceptions in six quarters before ending his season with an ankle injury.

It’s not shocking, though, that Rivera wants to drum up some competition for the young QB so he doesn’t get complacent in his second year.

“[Rivera’s] a guy who’s going to hold you accountable and make sure you put the work in,” he said. “I’m all for that, so I’m excited.”

Excited to work, and excited to hopefully start the year in the starting spot for the first time in his NFL career. Let the competition begin.

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Case Keenum should stay in Washington as Redskins backup QB in 2020

It might be hard for Keenum to find a new team in 2020 with such a stacked free agent QB class, and he might be better off with Redskins.

Case Keenum should return to the Washington Redskins for the 2020 NFL season.

The Redskins are entering the offseason with a solid option at the starting QB position, but with Keenum and Colt McCoy set to become free agents, they are looking to fill out their quarterback room and find a solid QB2. We think that QB2 should be Keenum, and here’s why:

It’s understandable that Keenum may want to leave, as he is likely could find a better situation for himself on the free agency market — one in which he would have a legitimate chance to become the QB1 for a desperate team. While his performance in 10 games for the Redskins in 2019 wasn’t spectacular, he lost his job more due to injury and a desire to see what the team had in Haskins than anything else. It’s fair to think that another team could desire his services in 2020.

However, this is an awful year in which to be a middling free-agent quarterback on the open market.

With names like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Phillip Rivers, Teddy Bridgewater, and Jameis Winston, it might be hard for Keenum to compete for open positions. If Keenum is unable to land a surefire QB1 position elsewhere in the league, and he is left looking for backup roles, why not sign a short deal with the Redskins and try again in 2021?

By staying in Washington, Keenum would be able to compete for the starting job, according to Ron Rivera, and even in a QB2 role, should Haskins win the QB1 competition, he would be in a solid place among teammates he knows.

It may be tough out there for any FA quarterback this offseason. Come on back to Washington, Case. They’ll take care of you until 2021.

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Mapping out a perfect Washington Redskins offseason in 2020

There are a number of roster decisions for the Redskins to make this offseason, but these are at the top of our list for a perfect 2020.

The pieces are starting to be put into place for the Washington Redskins to actually find some success in 2020 and the years beyond. With a core of young and dynamic players on both offense and defense, plus a new coaching staff that will offer a fresh set of eyes to what can improve around the building, there is a reality in which the Redskins find themselves competing for a playoff spot in the near future.

The Redskins are set to start out the year with just under $40 million in salary-cap space, according to Over The Cap, but that number could rise a heck of a lot higher with some tweaking. All they have to do is make the right roster decisions, and that starts this offseason. In order to help provide a path forward, we decided to map out what would be a perfect offseason, in our eyes, hoping it leads to eventual Redskins’ success.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 01: Josh Norman #24 of the Washington Redskins embraces head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers before their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 01, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

Cutting Players:

There are a handful of players that the Redskins will likely let go ahead of free agency this year, but two big-name players come to mind for us. Josh Norman and Paul Richardson Jr.

The writing has been on the wall for Norman, as he was benched at the end of the season in order to let practice squad players get a chance in front of him. At age 32, with a significant drop in production since becoming the highest-paid CB in the NFL with the Redskins, it’s time for Washington to rid of Norman’s contract and look to the younger players. According to OTC, the Redskins would save $12.5 million by cutting him this offseason, giving them over $50 million in available space.

Likewise, Richardson has spent two seasons now trying to stay healthy enough to live up to his $40 million contract that the Redskins gave him in 2018, but failing. In 2019, Richardson was passed up by three rookie wide receivers on the depth chart, which was the icing on the cake. If the Redskins were to part ways with Richardson this offseason, they would save $6.5 million in 2020, but with some of that becoming dead money, the cap space would only rise to $52 million.

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4 backup quarterbacks the Redskins should target in 2020 NFL free agency

The Redskins will likely choose to keep Dwayne Haskins in the starting QB role for 2020, but they have a hole to fill at the QB2 spot.

The Washington Redskins seemingly have a question at the quarterback position that they need to answer during the 2020 offseason.

That doesn’t mean that they are unsure of who their starting QB may be — it seems safe to say that the Redskins will likely stick with rookie QB Dwayne Haskins going forward, even though new coach Ron Rivera stopped shy of naming him the QB1 when introduced to the team. Rather, the team needs to figure out what to do at the backup QB position.

With Case Keenum and Colt McCoy both set to become free agents once their contracts run out this spring, Washington will be left with a few options to fill the position. While it’s still a possibility — and probably the smartest course of action — that the Redskins sign either veteran QB to a cheap contract for the 2020 season and beyond, it feels likely that the two QBs who rode the pine in Washington would rather test their chances elsewhere.

That leaves free agency or the NFL Drat to find a QB2. With that being said, here are a few names to potentially keep an eye out to be added to the QB room in Washington.

Brett Hundley — Arizona Cardinals
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – OCTOBER 27: Brett Hundley #7 of the Arizona Cardinals runs with the ball during the second half of a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on October 27, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Hundley was a solid prospect coming out of UCLA in 2015, and he served as the backup for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay during the 2017 season where Rodgers went down with a broken collarbone. The results weren’t great, but that’s why he’s a backup.

Now in Arizona, Hundley has served as a valued member of the QB room behind rookie Kyler Murray, and he is said to have helped in the former Heisman-winner’s growth over the 2019 season. He also looked like a serviceable option in the single game that he played in place of Murray this past season, throwing for 49 yards with 35 more on the ground.

If the Redskins were able to convince Hundley to come to Washington, he would undoubtedly be able to help spur on the growth of Haskins, and he could also get the team out of a jam if called upon.

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Case Keenum hopes he gets another shot somewhere

Case Keenum still wants to start in the NFL.

Washington Redskins quarterback Case Keenum sees the writing on the wall — the team belongs to Dwayne Haskins.

While head coach Ron Rivera has made it sound like the quarterback situation can be a very fluid thing moving forward, the fact remains Keenum is a free agent and he might seek out another chance to start.

Here’s Keenum, via Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports Washington:

“I feel like I played really good football. I know the wins and losses didn’t show it.” Keenum said on his performance last season. “I’d love another shot to play in this league. So if there’s another chance, another opportunity out there, I’m not sure where that might be, I don’t take these things lightly. I’m going to go compete and make myself better this offseason and hopefully and be ready for whatever team might come calling.”

Keenum did what he could in a mostly bad situation, completing 64.8 percent of his passes with 1,707 yards and 11 touchdowns against five interceptions.

While the situation wasn’t always great, like his time in Denver, Keenum didn’t sniff the production he had in Minnesota a few years ago while playing in a superb offensive scheme.

Whether another team gives Keenum a chance to start is hard to say. The veteran quarterback market this offseason could be competitive thanks to the likes of Teddy Bridgewater and the draft looks deep.

Either way, the chance might not happen in Washington.

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