Vikings quarterback Case Keenum is due for a substantial raise in the 2018 offseason that could earn him in the neighborhood of $15 MM per year, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. 
The figure comes from salary cap analyst Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com and is based on the contract Mike Glennon signed in the 2017 offseason with the Bears. Should Keenum command the Vikings on a deep playoff run, Fitzgerald says that figure could rise to as much as $18 MM.
“If you have an arm and can throw a little bit, there’s such a scarcity of talent at the position and I think there’s a lot of worries about guys coming in from college unless you’re looked at as a super prospect and are going to be picked in the top five of the draft,’’ Fitzgerald told Tomasson.
The first name on our list of the 10 best one-year deals of 2017 from earlier this month, Keenum has significantly outperformed his $2 MM contract while commanding the Vikings to the top of the NFC North. Signed as an afterthought behind starter Sam Bradford and with the return of Teddy Bridgewater looming, the journeyman signal-caller has powered Minnesota to a 7-2 mark as the team’s starter and delivered another win in relief of Bradford in Week 5 vs. Chicago.
Fitzgerald notes that a lot will depend on the end of the season. With head coach Mike Zimmer unwilling to commit to Keenum the rest of the campaign, that figure could fall should the University of Houston product slip up down the stretch.
Personally, I can’t see him getting 15-18M per. That defense sets him up for success, never having to force himself to exceed. While he’s having a good year, he hasn’t really done it in the past and there’s no consistency.
He also has two top notch WRs, a top notch TE, and a decent (at worst) running game. I think teams will recognize that he’s been making the best of an excellent situation and give him money that’s more in line with his past performance. On the other hand, as Osweiler and many other have shown, it takes only one team to overpay…
Two top notch WRs? Criteria for being top notch is really dropping
2nd and 22nd in receiving yards is pretty darn good for guys you don’t consider too notch. Not many teams have anything close to that.
Good season but in all likelihood not considered more than a premium backup
I’ll gladly take him over the Brock/Paxton/Siemian meds we have in Denver
Depending on how this season wraps up I’d be totally alright with the Vikes giving him 15-18m for the next few years to be the starting QB. Considering what the Bears gave Glennon and what they’re paying Bradford currently that seems like steal for a consistent and so far reliable guy like Keenum.
Vikings need to find a way to trade him….get picks. Teddy will be their QB. Status of Bradford?? I haven’t checked.
They can’t. The trade deadline is past