After losing Mitchell Trubisky to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Buffalo Bills were in the market for a backup quarterback. No team likes the thought of having to use your backup quarterback, but they’re a commodity that’s nice when they become necessary.
Trubisky filled the role well, considering he didn’t need much money to do it, and when he did come in, the games weren’t flushed down the toilet.
Even in the preseason, most notably against his former team in the Chicago Bears, Trubisky showed that if Josh Allen had to miss time for any reason, the longevity of the season wouldn’t automatically be evaporated.
The Buffalo Bills acquire Case Keenum via trade from the Cleveland Browns for a 2022 seventh-round pick
Now, after the Cleveland Browns acquired their new quarterback, the need for Case Keenum on their roster was seemingly not there.
In a trade to the Buffalo Bills, the Cleveland Browns received just a 2022 seventh-round draft pick. For the quarterback that stepped in and went undefeated in his two starts in place of an injured Baker Mayfield.
Now, it’s fair to say that Keenum didn’t necessarily win those games; he just didn’t lose them. However, between those two starts, he was a combined 38/57 (66.7% completion) with three touchdowns and one interception.
To be able to get him for a seventh-round pick is quite the steal. Being 34 years old, he’s creeping up there, but with the limited amount of miles on him, there’s plenty to go around.
And again, this is just one of those players a team gets that, respectfully, they hope never has to go in. If the Buffalo Bills never have to put Case Keenum in, that’s the best-case scenario. Now, in the off chance that Keenum is needed to go in, all they paid was a seventh-round pick, so if he’s not amazing, it’s not too big of a loss.
That being said, Case Keenum is one of those backups that teams feel confident in, and along with that, he’s a veteran that’s been in a handful of different locker rooms to learn from. At the quarterback position, one of the most analyzed positions on the field, that’s an extremely attractive trait to have. Being in those different locker rooms teaches quarterbacks all different things, and while the Browns aren’t a team known for quarterback development, they’re a locker room that’s turned around from a pretty rock-bottom situation.
So, while some backup quarterbacks can be a bit of a liability depending on who they are, Case Keenum is a solid veteran backup that, if he’s needed, has shown the ability to step in with little notice and perform the way he needs to perform. Let’s just hope he’s not needed too much.