The former Minnesota Vikings quarterback is expected to sign a contract with the Denver Broncos once the new league year begins on March 14.
Whoever the Minnesota Vikings starting quarterback is going to be for the 2018 season, it doesn’t sound like it’s going to be Case Keenum.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday, Keenum is expected to sign a deal to join the Denver Broncos when the new league year begins on Wednesday, March 14.
When free agency opens Wednesday, former Vikings’ QB Case Keenum intends to sign with the Denver Broncos, sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2018
First QB domino has fallen.
QB race is on.
The veteran quarterback will be reunited with Gary Kubiak, who was his former head coach with the Houston Texans and is now a senior personnel advisor for the Broncos. Terms of the deal are not yet known.
Minnesota Vikings
With the Vikings in 2017, Keenum easily had the best season of his NFL career since entering the league in 2012. In 15 games last season, the quarterback completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 3,547 yards, 22 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions.
His 22 touchdown passes were the most by a Minnesota quarterback in a single season since Brett Favre tossed 33 scores in 2009.
There was a possibility that Keenum could have returned to the Vikings in 2018, but the team did not want to give him the kind of money (more than $20 million per year) that some had been estimating he could get in the open market.
With Keenum gone, Minnesota’s primary focus will likely shift to making sure Kirk Cousins signs with them this offseason. Nothing concrete was reported on Monday, but the Vikings still appear to be the frontrunner to land Cousins this year.
Next: Realistic free-agent options for the Vikings' defense in 2018
As for Keenum, now he will get an opportunity to prove to his doubters that he is more than just a career backup.