Texans To Start Case Keenum In Week 15
Davis Mills has dressed as the Texans’ backup quarterback each week this season with C.J. Stroud operating as the starter. The latter is out for Sunday’s game, though, which led to the expectation Mills would be elevated to the No. 1 role on a temporary basis. 
Instead, Houston will give the nod to Case Keenum. As first reported by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the veteran is now in line to start after spending every game in 2023 as the Texans’ emergency third-stringer. Keenum last started during a two-game stint with the Browns. His only action since then was a pair of appearances last season with the Bills, during which he attempted a total of seven passes.
Given that light workload, along with Mills’ familiarity with the Texans, the move comes as something of a surprise. Mills started 26 games between 2021-22 after joining the team as a third-rounder. Despite a 2-9 record as a rookie, the Stanford product flashed potential at times, earning the No. 1 role in his second campaign. A regression proved an upgrade under center would be needed in the offseason, however, leading to the decision to draft Stroud second overall in April.
Stroud’s highly impressive rookie campaign has been interrupted by a concussion, leaving the Texans with a decision to make in the heart of a playoff push. Mills and Keenum split first-team reps during the week, Bien-Aime adds, so today’s news points to the latter having impressed over the past few days. Keenum has made 64 starts in his career, which began in 2013 with Houston.
The former UFDA has posted a winning record only twice in a season, though, leaving him to bounce around the NFL over the course of his tenure. The 35-year-old was viewed by some as a luxury in the Texans’ QB room given Mills’ continued presence and the addition of Stroud in the draft. The team made it clear they were not looking to trade him in advance of the deadline, a stance which has now proven to be quite signficant.
Houston is one of six AFC teams which entered Week 15 with a 7-6 record and thus in position to compete for a wild-card spot. The Texans are also one game behind the Jaguars for the lead in the AFC South, leaving plenty to play for on Sunday. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has expressed optimism about Stroud’s progress in recovering from the concussion, so he could return in time for Week 16. For now, though, the Texans’ offense will rely on Keenum’s ability to perform in his season debut.
Texans Informing Teams They Want To Keep Case Keenum
Trade rumors have come up regarding both of the Texans’ reserve quarterbacks. Davis Mills emerged as a potential exit candidate this offseason, following the Case Keenum signing. With Mills still with the team, Keenum has also come up.
The Patriots pursued Keenum late this summer, a move that would have reunited the ex-Texans UDFA and returning Pats OC Bill O’Brien. But the AFC East team soon went with Matt Corral via waivers. That partnership proved fleeting; Corral is already off the team, and Will Grier joins Bailey Zappe as a Mac Jones backup.
It is not known if New England made an offer, but Houston would prefer to keep the veteran backup. The Texans have informed teams they like Keenum as a C.J. Stroud mentor, per SI.com’s Albert Breer. Keenum’s mentorship of Stroud has pleased the Texans to the point they want to have him around throughout the Ohio State product’s rookie season.
A University of Houston alum who caught on with the Texans in 2013, Keenum started 10 games for the team over the next two seasons. He then embarked on one of this NFL period’s most noteworthy journeyman careers, venturing to St. Louis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Denver, Washington, Cleveland and Buffalo. The 64 career starts would make Keenum an attractive emergency option for a team in need. The Jets represent a logical suitor, but they have only contacted Colt McCoy and the recently retired Chad Henne in the wake of Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear.
The Texans gave Keenum a two-year, $6.25MM deal early in the legal tampering period. Keenum’s $4MM guarantee figure did not top the likes of Andy Dalton, Jacoby Brissett or Marcus Mariota for QB2 guarantees this offseason, but it did check in above Sam Darnold, Gardner Minshew, Cooper Rush and Teddy Bridgewater. Since Keenum was benched in Washington in 2019, he has primarily operated as a backup. He won both his starts with the Browns (in 2021) and has been a sought-after reserve since his midcareer starter run ceased.
Houston holding both Keenum and Mills (26 starts from 2021-22) does provide a bit of an opportunity for the rebuilding team ahead of the Oct. 31 trade deadline, as many other clubs cannot match the Texans’ backup surplus. Trade inquiries indeed came in just after teams cut their rosters to 53. This will be a team to watch as a potential seller, but for now, the 11th-year vet and 2021 third-round pick sit behind Stroud.
Patriots Looked Into Trade For Texans QB Case Keenum
As the Patriots made the surprising decision to waive Bailey Zappe, they spent a multi-day period with one active-roster quarterback. With versatile UDFA Malik Cunningham also cut, Mac Jones resided alone on the depth chart until the Matt Corral pickup.
While the Pats have Corral positioned behind Jones (technically), Zappe remains in the mix to be the backup. But the team had also targeted a more experienced option to help mentor its third-year starter. In addition to Colt McCoy being on the Patriots’ radar, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes the team looked into acquiring Case Keenum from the Texans.
The Texans brought Keenum back to Houston, after the ex-Cougars standout embarked on a journeyman career upon leaving his original NFL team in 2015, on a two-year deal worth $6.25MM ($4MM guaranteed). This looked to be a sign GM Nick Caserio, who hired a third coaching staff in three years, would look to move two-year starter Davis Mills. But Mills, despite multiple rounds of trade rumors, remains in Houston as C.J. Stroud‘s backup. Keenum sits as the team’s third-stringer.
A report last week indicated the Texans’ backups were generating trade interest, and with the Pats targeting a veteran and Caserio having spent nearly 20 years with the franchise, the dots certainly connect here.
Keenum, 35, has completed a four-time zone journey by stopping through St. Louis, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Denver, Washington, Cleveland and Buffalo since 2015. While Keenum’s post-Vikings career effectively made his 2017 season — which featured a No. 1 QB DVOA ranking, a 13-3 Vikes record and an NFC championship game berth — an outlier, the former UDFA has remained coveted as a backup. Keenum quarterbacked the Browns to two wins during the 2021 season; those two starts ran his career total to 64.
Once Corral became available, however, Breer adds the Patriots regrouped and scrapped their previous plan of a veteran QB2. Patriots senior personnel advisor Pat Stewart, an offseason hire, was with the Panthers as their VP of player personnel from 2020-22. That tenure included the Panthers’ trade-up with the Patriots for Corral, a raw prospect out of Ole Miss. The Pats had explored Corral via trade as well, per Breer, who adds Bill O’Brien‘s good relationship with Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin also led to the decision to submit the claim.
Three years remain on Corral’s rookie contract; he missed all of last season with a Lisfranc injury. It will be interesting to see if the second-year passer’s form prompts the Patriots to circle back to their interest in a veteran backup before the Halloween trade deadline. After Brian Hoyer went down last season, Bill Belichick stuck with Zappe. But the former record-setting Western Kentucky QB struggled in O’Brien’s offense this year. For now, Zappe represents the most logical Jones backup to start the season. But this situation is clearly not settled entering the year.
Texans’ Reserve QBs Drawing Trade Interest
Although the Texans’ Case Keenum signing appeared to place Davis Mills in limbo, the two-year starter took first-team reps this offseason and landed on Houston’s 53-man roster. With the team moving to C.J. Stroud for Week 1, interest in both backups has emerged.
Teams have contacted the Texans on their two backup quarterbacks, Dianna Russini of The Athletic notes. But Houston’s plan for now is to keep both Keenum and Mills on its roster. The Texans gave Keenum a two-year, $6.25MM deal; two years remain on Mills’ rookie contract.
The Keenum addition undoubtedly led to the Mills trade rumors earlier this year, but the Texans’ stance at that point was to retain the former third-round pick. Stroud will unseat Mills, who is 5-19-1 as a starter (albeit on some undermanned teams), and Keenum would seem to represent both a mentor and a capable backup. Mills, 24, would be an interesting flier for a team to take. Even if the Texans are open to moving the Stanford alum, no viable offer has emerged.
Two teams who could be interested reside in the AFC East. The Patriots made the surprising choice to waive Bailey Zappe on Tuesday. The 2022 fourth-rounder had generated momentum to potentially even challenge Mac Jones for his job this offseason; no realistic challenge occurred. As of now, Jones is the only QB on New England’s active roster. That will not be the case for too much longer, and the Patriots are believed to be targeting Colt McCoy. Indeed, a veteran QB2 is preferred, per the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi.
Meanwhile, the Bills placed Matt Barkley on IR on Tuesday, removing him from their regular-season equation. Buffalo rosters only Kyle Allen, who spent most of last season backing up Mills in Houston, behind Josh Allen. Keenum spent the 2022 season in Buffalo, but the Houston alum agreed to terms with the Texans — his original NFL team — on Day 1 of the legal tampering period.
Texans To Bring Back QB Case Keenum
Case Keenum is coming back to Houston. After beginning his career with the Texans, Keenum — per veteran Houston reporter John McClain — is returning to the team.
A former Texans UDFA back in 2013, Keenum has journeyed the country as a starter and a backup. He is now coming back to Houston, where he played his college ball, on what looks like a bridge agreement. It is a two-year contract, McClain notes.
Keenum, 34, will come back for $6.25MM, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. He will collect $4MM guaranteed. This agreement should be expected to precede a Texans quarterback pick at No. 2 overall. Houston has not made a serious investment at the position since Deshaun Watson‘s off-field trouble surfaced.
Since leaving Houston back in 2016, Keenum has played in St. Louis, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Denver, Washington, Cleveland and Buffalo. Although he was DVOA’s top-rated quarterback in 2017, when he replaced Sam Bradford and took the Vikings on a stunning ride to the NFC championship game, Keenum has mostly filled in as a backup or bridge starter as a pro. He began that run with 10 starts for the Texans from 2013-14.
Most recently, Keenum got into two games as Josh Allen‘s backup in Buffalo during the 2022 campaign. He last started a game in 2021 when he earned two starts for the Browns. In those two games, the veteran completed 38 of his 57 pass attempts for 375 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. The Browns were 2-0 in those two games.
Restructured Deals: Packers, Broncos, Bills, Patriots, Giants
As free agency continues, teams will keep finding ways to open up additional cap. We’ve had a handful of reworked contracts in recent days, which we’ve compiled below:
- The Packers opened $10.15MM in cap space by restructuring the contracts of wideout Randall Cobb (which was previously reported) and safety Adrian Amos, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). ESPN’s Rob Demovsky tweets that Green Bay turned $5.88MM of Amos’ $7MM base salary into a signing bonus and added four void years.
- The Broncos opened up some space via a pair of restructured deals. Wideout Tim Patrick converted $6.9MM of his roster bonus into a signing bonus, creating around $4.6MM in cap space, per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (on Twitter). The Broncos also converted receiver Courtland Sutton‘s $10.5MM roster bonus into a signing bonus, saving $7.875MM in 2022 cap space, per Klis (on Twitter).
- The Panthers converted $11.765MM of wideout Robby Anderson’s 2022 pay into a signing bonus, creating $5.88MM in cap space, per Yates (on Twitter). Staying in the NFC, Yates also tweets that the Eagles converted $14.88MM of cornerback Darius Slay’s salary into a signing bonus, creating $11.90MM in 2022 cap space.
- The Giants converted $2.63MM of kicker Graham Gano’s salary into a bonus, creating $1.753MM in cap space, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). The team also added a void year to the contract, something GM Joe Schoen was trying to avoid (per Raanan).
- After getting traded to the Bills, quarterback Case Keenum agreed to rework his contract. Per Yates (on Twitter), Keenum reduced his base salary to $3.5MM. Another AFC East team, the Patriots, also got into the game, reducing defensive end Henry Anderson‘s base salary from $2.5MM to $1.25MM (per Yates).
- Yates passes along three more restructures (on Twitter): the Vikings opened $6MM in cap space by reworking safety Harrison Smith‘s contract, the Bills opened $5.172MM via linebacker Matt Milano‘s contract, and the Titans opened $6.45MM via linebacker Zach Cunningham‘s contract.
Bills Sign QB Matt Barkley
After spending the 2021 season playing elsewhere, Matt Barkley has landed back in Buffalo. The Bills announced that they’ve signed the quarterback to a one-year contract.
[RELATED: Bills To Acquire Browns QB Case Keenum]
The journeyman had his longest career stint with the Bills, spending two-plus seasons with the organization. He saw time in eight games (one start) during his time in Buffalo, completing 54.6 percent of his passes for 788 yards, three touchdowns, and four interceptions.
He signed a two-year contract with the Titans last offseason but didn’t make it to the regular season, and he later spent the 2021 campaign with the Panthers and Falcons. Barkley previously spent time with the Eagles, Cardinals (two stints), Bears, 49ers, and Bengals.
The Bills have Josh Allen sitting atop their depth chart, and they acquired veteran Case Keenum from the Browns last week. However, as Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic tweeted at the time, a Barkley move was anticipated even when the organization acquired Keenum. In other words, it sounds like the two acquisitions will be fighting it out to replace Mitchell Trubisky as the No. 2 QB in Buffalo next season.
Bills To Acquire Browns QB Case Keenum
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.
Browns’ Baker Mayfield, Myles Garrett Expected To Be Active Today
The Browns will have their top QBs available for this afternoon’s showdown with the Packers. The team reported that QB Case Keenum has cleared protocols and accompanied starter Baker Mayfield to Green Bay. Mayfield posted an IG story this morning showing him arriving in Green Bay for the afternoon game (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com on Twitter).
Per Stacey Dales of NFL Network (on Twitter), Mayfield is “ready to roll,” and his “body feels the healthiest it’s been in a while.” The QB was asymptomatic during his stint on the reserve/COVID-19 list, but he stayed “very involved virtually” for his eventual return. Mayfield tested positive for the coronavirus December 15 but could not navigate the return protocol until yesterday. Now, he’ll have a chance to guide Cleveland to a crucial win against the top team in the league.
Keenum landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on December 17, forcing him to miss a potential start against the Raiders (a start that ultimately went to Nick Mullens). The veteran got one start filling in for Mayfield earlier this season, completing 21 of his 33 pass attempts for 199 yards and one touchdown in a win over the Broncos.
Myles Garrett is also planning on playing this afternoon. The star pass rusher is listed as questionable with a groin injury, but Garrett told Cabot that he has no intention of missing the Christmas game.
“I feel like I’ll play regardless of how I feel,” Garrett said. “I haven’t practiced, so we’ll see. But I’m going to go out there and give my all. We’ve got to win out to make the playoffs and I’m going to play in every second of the game that I can.”
NFL COVID List Updates: 12/24/21
We’ve compiled a list of players who were placed on or activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list today. In some instances, players activated from the list remain on IR:
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Chuck Clark, C Trystan Colon
- Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: RB Nate McCrary
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: QB Chris Streveler
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: T Bobby Hart
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Gabriel Davis, G Cody Ford
Chicago Bears
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Bilal Nichols
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Mike Thomas
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB A.J. Green, QB Case Keenum, WR Jarvis Landry, QB Baker Mayfield, DE Ifeadi Odenigbo
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: K Chase McLaughlin, DT Jordan Elliott
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: S Tedric Thompson
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Jourdan Lewis, WR Simi Fehoko
Denver Broncos
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: LB Barrington Wade
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Kenny Clark
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Chauncey Rivers
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Quenton Nelson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Josh Allen, WR Laviska Shenault, OL Ben Bartch
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Blake Bell
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19: P Tommy Townsend
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Justin Jones
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Jordan Fuller, TE Tyler Higbee
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Cole Williamson
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: RB Gerrid Doaks
New England Patriots
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Rhamondre Stevenson
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Demario Davis, DB J.T. Gray, T Ryan Ramczyk, RB Dwayne Washington
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S J.R. Reed, OLB Oshane Ximines
- Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: C Jonotthan Harrison
New York Jets
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Jeff Smith, CB Justin Hardee
- Placed from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Ryan Griffin
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Landon Dickerson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Montravius Adams
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Isaiah Buggs
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Travis Homer
- Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: OL Pier-Olivier Lestage
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Dez Fitzpatrick
- Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: DB Jamal Carter
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Taylor Lewan
Washington Football Team
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Kyle Allen, S Kamren Curl, LB Milo Eifler, CB Kendall Fuller
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Nate Orchard