As unexpected Minnesota Vikings performers go, Case Keenum is high on the list. He entered the 2017 season as the backup quarterback, but when Sam Bradford was injured (shocker), he started 15 games, and played well (3,547 yards, 22 touchdowns, seven interceptions).
Then-head coach, and known quarterback-despiser (except for Teddy Bridgewater), Mike Zimmer steadfastly refused to commit to Keenum as the starting quarterback throughout that season. Zimmer even tried to credit good fortune for how well Keenum was playing.
Of course, Keenum's signature moment as a Viking was his involvement in the "Minneapolis Miracle", as his touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs helped lead Minnesota to a last-second win over the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional Round of the 2017 playoffs.
The Vikings undoubtedly needed to find a quarterback upgrade during the following offseason. Kirk Cousins was eventually signed by Minnesota, and Keenum landed with the Denver Broncos.
He started all 16 games for the Broncos in 2018, then it was on to the Washington Commanders (2019), followed by the Cleveland Browns (2020-2021), the Buffalo Bills (2022), and the Houston Texans (2023-2024).
Keenum missed all of last season with the Texans due to a foot injury, and he's now 37-years-old. But he's a quintessential backup quarterback, and that's what the Vikings need right now.
The case for the Minnesota Vikings to make Case Keenum the backup to J.J. McCarthy
Minnesota has (mostly) moved on from the idea of signing Aaron Rodgers this year. Ryan Tannehill may be content to officially retire at some point soon. Jameis Winston is no longer available, and Will Levis is a lame option.
Trading for someone of Levis' general ilk (young, with starting experience) is possible, but signing a veteran is just as likely, and the Vikings seem inclined to wait a bit before adding someone who'd usurp current No. 2 quarterback Brett Rypien.
Besides his status in Vikings folklore, Keenum also has some history with head coach Kevin O'Connell. O'Connell was the offensive coordinator in Washington in 2019, when Keenum was there and started eight games. That summer, Keenum made it clear he liked O'Connell's offense.
"I love this system, I really do. I think Jay Gruden has done a great job putting it together, and I think Kevin O’Connell, Matt Cavanaugh, Tim Rattay, all those guys, too.
I think it’s really well presented and put together really good. I think I can thrive in it. So, I want to push it to the next level. I’m always trying to push it to that next level of playing.”
Keenum hasn't played much since that season in Washington (four starts, 142 pass attempts), but his career travels being exposed to multiple offenses gives him value as a backup. That experience would make him especially valuable to a young quarterback.
The NFLPA gathered for a golf event this week, and for whatever it's worth, Keenum was in close proximity to some former and current Vikings.
Keenum probably isn't the first choice to be McCarthy's backup for a lot of Minnesota fans, which is understandable. But he does fit the template they should be seeking for that role, and as the list of free-agent quarterback options gets thinner, the "case" for the Vikings to bring him back gets incrementally better.