It looks like the Browns will be making three quarterback trades this offseason. They are sending Case Keenum to the Bills in exchange for a seventh-round pick, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Cleveland’s stunning Deshaun Watson deal will lead to a full-on reshaping of the team’s QB room. The Browns are expected to follow the Watson and Keenum trades with a Baker Mayfield swap. As of Saturday afternoon, Mayfield remains on the team. The disgruntled former No. 1 overall pick will be elsewhere to start the 2022 season.
[RELATED: Browns To Sign Jacoby Brissett]
The Bills lost 2021 backup Mitchell Trubisky to the Steelers in free agency. Keenum, 33, is now poised to take over as Josh Allen‘s understudy. After receiving starter work with the Vikings, Broncos and Washington from 2017-19, Keenum resettled as a backup in Cleveland, working behind Mayfield for the past two seasons. Keenum led the league in QB DVOA in 2017, piloting Minnesota to the NFC championship game, but crashed back to earth in Denver and Washington. He made two starts in Cleveland, both in 2021, with the Browns winning both games.
The Browns are bracing for a Watson suspension, which would thrust Brissett into the spotlight. Given their Watson investment, the Browns are expecting to be a Super Bowl contender soon. Keenum’s replacement will be important to those prospects, regardless if Watson’s suspension hits in 2022 or 2023.
Allen has not missed a start since his 2018 rookie season, which began with the superstar signal-caller on the bench. One season, with a $6.1MM base salary, remains on Keenum’s contract. It would not surprise to see the Bills give their new QB2 an extension to reduce his 2022 cap number.
Good pick up for them. Solid guy to have around. Have to wonder what’s going on with the Browns
The Browns saved 6.5 million in cap. Keenum was making 8.4 million. He didn’t look that good last year even though he was 2-0. He beat Denver when Johnson ran for 149 yards and he beat the Bengals in the last game of the season with all the Bengals taking the week off.
That’s fair, but having a quarterback who can step in play for multiple games and at any given time is a huge plus for any team, versus an inexperienced rookie that may end up good later at some point in his career. And, in fairness to Keenum, the offense didn’t look as good as it should have with the starters last year. Cleveland seemed to be off for most of the year as is.
The Browns didn’t lose a step in signing Brissett, though. This and that signing seem like great moves for both teams. The Bills get a QB who can instantly step if Allen is hurt (even at Allen’s size, scrambling is more dangerous) and has some mobility in the pocket, and the Browns get someone who can start if/when Watson’s suspension comes down.
The Browns are drunk.
Would’ve thought the browns trade Baker and keep Case as the back up knowing Watson could miss time.
Especially when all they get in return is a 7th round pick?
Maybe they are so confident in Watson that they are willing to deal Case and Baker and will draft in a young back up to Watson. In which case you’ll then have two QBs learning a new playbook together. Carson Strong could be a good option in the 4th round. Decent size, decent arm, decent accuracy and will be playing behind a good o line and with two good RBs.
Seems weird to waste a 4th round pick on a career back up and trade your current good back up for a 7th rounder tho…
um so who starts when Watson is suspended?
Brissett baby, no idea how he’s still getting used in the NFL but there he is.
Nathan Peterman is still available… just sayin
Mike Glennon and Jake Fromm State Farm are, too.
Everyone saying they traded a good backup didn’t watch Keenum play last year apparently. He was adequate at best.
If Watson misses any time it’s a lost season anyway.
“The Browns are bracing for a Watson suspension, which would thrust Brissett into the spotlight”
Kind of an odd sentence considering Brissett or his acquisition by the Browns is not mentioned at all in this article.
I’m sure that there’s reason. Joe Biden or Donald Trump or something or the other.
Probably because it was written before the Brissett acquisition.