Can a Case be made for Keenum...?

[ArcticNorseman]

As this season has evolved for Case, he's playing more like Drew Brees or Russel Wilson than a journeyman back-up.  

He's certainly made the most of his opportunity.  The article I just read on line (from the tribune, I think) talked about how great he was at Houston in leading the team.  Yeah, he was too light, too short . . .too everything for the NFL --- the exact same knocks Drew Brees had on him.  Heck, the Chargers even drafted Philip Rivers thinking Brees couldn't hack the physicality of the NFL.  Brees played pretty well throughout his career, but in New Orleans? 

So, if Keenum keeps this thing up, playing with the chip on his shoulder and leading this team to wins?  As much as I love Teddy and respect Bradford's game . . . don't the Vikes have to settle a deal with Keenum?   Or, do they just go with the cheapest of the three?   

[SemperFeist]

31 minutes ago, ArcticNorseman said:

Heck, the Chargers even drafted Philip Rivers thinking Brees couldn't hack the physicality of the NFL

That’s not why the Chargers drafted Rivers. It had much more to do with the sub 60% completion percentage by Brees, the more interceptions than touchdowns he’d thrown to that point in his career, and the regression he showed from year 2 to year 3. 

 

34 minutes ago, ArcticNorseman said:

So, if Keenum keeps this thing up, playing with the chip on his shoulder and leading this team to wins?

This is what I’m most worried about long term with Keenum. It’s very evident that he’s playing with a lot of emotion this year, and I question whether he, or anyone, can carry that emotion, that chip on his shoulder from year to year. 

[vike daddy]

48 minutes ago, SemperFeist said:

That’s not why the Chargers drafted Rivers. It had much more to do with the sub 60% completion percentage by Brees, the more interceptions than touchdowns he’d thrown to that point in his career, and the regression he showed from year 2 to year 3. 

also had to do with uncertainty over Brees' shoulder surgery and whether he would recovery at 100%.

[vike daddy]

49 minutes ago, SemperFeist said:

This is what I’m most worried about long term with Keenum. It’s very evident that he’s playing with a lot of emotion this year, and I question whether he, or anyone, can carry that emotion, that chip on his shoulder from year to year. 

one could argue Bridgewater would have a similar chip next year, something to prove.

[Klomp]

2 hours ago, Cearbhall said:

It cannot ever be proven, but I am comfortable saying that the Vikings would have less wins right now this year if Sam Bradford was the QB all year even if he was 100% healthy. Less comfortable making that statement when comparing to Teddy but given his rust it is probably true with him too.

Four weeks ago, I would've disagreed with this statement. Keenum wasn't really doing anything before the bye that Bradford couldn't do. Since the bye though, it's definitely a more interesting conversation.

[vikingsrule]

5 minutes ago, vike daddy said:

one could argue Bridgewater would have a similar chip next year, something to prove.

Bradford for that same reason too.

[Freakish Mind]

2 hours ago, SemperFeist said:

That’s not why the Chargers drafted Rivers. It had much more to do with the sub 60% completion percentage by Brees, the more interceptions than touchdowns he’d thrown to that point in his career, and the regression he showed from year 2 to year 3. 

 

This is what I’m most worried about long term with Keenum. It’s very evident that he’s playing with a lot of emotion this year, and I question whether he, or anyone, can carry that emotion, that chip on his shoulder from year to year. 

Moss played with a chip on his shoulder his entire career

[ArcticNorseman]

3 hours ago, SemperFeist said:

That’s not why the Chargers drafted Rivers. It had much more to do with the sub 60% completion percentage by Brees, the more interceptions than touchdowns he’d thrown to that point in his career, and the regression he showed from year 2 to year 3. 

 

This is what I’m most worried about long term with Keenum. It’s very evident that he’s playing with a lot of emotion this year, and I question whether he, or anyone, can carry that emotion, that chip on his shoulder from year to year. 

The Chargers LOVED Drew Brees coming out of Purdue, and every rookie goes through down-swings early in his career . . . some have the fortitude to fight through it, while other fail and flame out.   The truth there is Brees got hurt and the Chargers got worried . . . oh, and they got roped into the Eli deal.

Why is Keenum's case different than Drew Bledsoe-Tom Brady or Don Majkowski-Bret Favre?  He replaced a vet that got hurt and has been playing lights-out ever since.  Of all the QBs in the NFL, the only long-term successful one Keenum parallels is Brees . . . maybe Kurt Warner.

I'm not saying the Vikes absolutely need to extend Keenum's contract to the $20+mil per year stratosphere . . . but the more he wins, the more difficult it is to say no -- if he has to stay.  the Front Office might well say "test the waters".  BUT, there are 4 games left in the season, plus 3 or 4 in the post-season if they go all the way to the Super Bowl.  

Let's say Keenum leads the Vikes to the promise land so we can get over the Oly and Sven in hell-freezing-over jokes . . . lmao.  In that case, if I were Spielman and Zimmer, I'd offer $17m per year for 4 years plus big guaranteed money, with out clauses.  Plus, I'd offer Teddy a 2-3 yr deal for $12M/yr with smaller guarantee, but big performance bonuses -- and the window to renegotiate if he is awarded the starting job.

Should Keenum get hurt between now and the end of the season, activate Bradford and start Bridgewater.  If one or the other leads the Vikes to a SB win, they get something, but not necessarily the starting gig and major contract.  The way I'd personally like to see it play out is . . . hell if I know!   Let's get 12 wins in a row and worry about it after we host three playoff games in a row, with a trifecta of wins!!!!!!!!!!  

[SemperFeist]

7 hours ago, Freakish Mind said:

Moss played with a chip on his shoulder his entire career

Did he? What happened to that chip in Oakland? What happened to it at the end? Moss also had the benefit of being the most physically gifted person to ever play his position. 

Rams and Texans fans will tell you that Keenum didn’t play with this demeanor with them. 

[Cearbhall]

12 hours ago, ArcticNorseman said:

So, if Keenum keeps this thing up, playing with the chip on his shoulder and leading this team to wins?  As much as I love Teddy and respect Bradford's game . . . don't the Vikes have to settle a deal with Keenum?   Or, do they just go with the cheapest of the three?   

I would hope that the team doesn't settle for the cheapest of the three unless the team is convinced that none of them are the answer and they are looking only for a placeholder for their eventual replacement.

[Cearbhall]

10 hours ago, vikingsrule said:

Bradford for that same reason too.

When I said "even if he was 100% healthy" what I really meant was if Bradford never got injured and was starting healthy all year. Not just that he would be 100% healthy now, but that he was 100% healthy all year and never lost his starting job.

[Cearbhall]

10 hours ago, Klomp said:

Four weeks ago, I would've disagreed with this statement. Keenum wasn't really doing anything before the bye that Bradford couldn't do. Since the bye though, it's definitely a more interesting conversation.

Keenum sure was doing things before the bye that Bradford wouldn't have done. Kennum was avoiding sacks that Bradford would have taken. Those sacks would have resulted in ended drives. Keenum was also throwing balls beyond the sticks on third down where Bradford would have ended the drive with his give up on the drive checkdown. Those 3-4 drives a game that Bradford would have ended would have resulted in a defense that was increasingly tired and eventually they would give up more points. Couple that with, the fewer points the Vikings get after Bradford, doing Bradford things, kills drives. End result: the Vikings would have lost some of those games.

[Cearbhall]

The Vikings had a window of opportunity after Keenum started 3-4 games to sign Keenum for maybe $7M a year to be a long-term backup here in MN. Too bad the team missed that window. Keeping Keenum around now will cost the team probably more than Keenum is actually worth. Any QB that more than once team wants to sign as a starter that gets to free agency gets more than they are actually worth.

[gopherwrestler]

My favorite option would still be to Resign Teddy and Draft Baker... but that’s just me 

 Only option of anything we do that I would actually disagree with between the 3 QB’s is keeping Bradford in this offense. The semi-mobile QB in Shurmurs system has been huge for us. I was probably the biggest Bradford supporter here, he still is the best “thrower” we have on this team, but the lack of mobility in this offense is just something I can’t see working.

[SemperFeist]

4 minutes ago, gopherwrestler said:

My favorite option would still be to Resign Teddy and Draft Baker... but that’s just me 

 Only option of anything we do that I would actually disagree with between the 3 QB’s is keeping Bradford in this offense. The semi-mobile QB in Shurmurs system has been huge for us. I was probably the biggest Bradford supporter here, he still is the best “thrower” we have on this team, but the lack of mobility in this offense is just something I can’t see working.

Agreed.