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MINNEAPOLIS — Case Keenum is sitting in the corner of a quiet locker room. His teammates long ago disappeared into the frigid night to celebrate another victory with family and friends.
There is carryout lasagna in the warmer waiting for Keenum at home, and he texts his wife, Kimberly, to let her know he's running late. For now, he is pondering what he is doing here. How he's quarterbacking a team that oddsmakers say is favored to play in the Super Bowl.
How is he a Minnesota Viking?
"They wanted me," he says. And then he smiles. It isn't just a conversational smile. It's a big, I'm really happy smile.
Among the categories Keenum leads the league in, it seems, is gratitude.
There haven't been many times in Keenum's football life when he could say those words.
They wanted me.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/27533...ce=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial
This is a right-place-at-the-right-time story. The Vikings were in the right place, right time to get Keenum, who didn't have any other real opportunities. The 29-year-old was in the right place, right time to become all he is destined to be.
From the simple brilliance of Shurmur and the injuries that provided an opportunity to play to a gifted wide receiver group and the defense that would be any quarterback's best friend, the Vikings were perfect for Keenum.
"Maybe it's the team, the system, the player," Shurmur says. "The stars all cross."
So much is potentially in front of Keenum in the weeks ahead. He can win playoff games and become the first quarterback in history to play in a Super Bowl on his home field. He can take the Vikings where Joe Kapp, Fran Tarkenton, Wade Wilson, Randall Cunningham, Daunte Culpepper and Brett Favre could not.
Keenum is rich in ways that have nothing to do with money, but he can become rich in ways that have everything to do with money. He can convince the Vikings or some other team to offer him a contract that will allow him to plant roots and kiss worry goodbye for the rest of his life.
"It's a heck of an opportunity. It really is," he says. "I know it's such a good opportunity that I don't want to waste it. What's great is I don't have to be anybody else but myself."
At some points in his playing career, being himself wasn't good enough. That's different now.
"In our current situation, there is no reason he can't continue to play at this high level," Shurmur says. "I really feel he has the ability to make a play at the most crucial time. He's done that for us this year. ... He's just a really good player."
After the Vikings offense wraps up meetings on Wednesdays and Thursdays, Keenum often watches tape for another hour or two with his receivers. During practice, when the scout-team offense is working against the first-team defense, Keenum might take the receivers to the side to work on a specific route.
"I've never seen anyone prepare the way he does," Thielen says. "He's always coming to us with things he sees on tape, or things he can do a little better job of. And talking about how we can attack defenses. I think he takes it to another level."
When Thielen arrives at Winter Park around 6:30 most mornings and walks into the meeting room, he finds Keenum watching tape with a pad full of notes. Keenum has been there for an hour by that time.
"Man," Thielen thinks, "I need to study harder."
The good teammate is making others better while trying to be the best he can be.
What more could a team ask of a franchise QB? It is going to be interesting
I'll say this: its going to be TOUGH for the organization to let this guy walk. I'm not sure how they can allow it. The fans love the guy, too.
Its very possible they let Teddy go. Start Keenum for the next 5 years and draft his replacement sometime in the future to learn behind him. Can't think of a better mentor. Or let Sloter develop.
But having said this I know there still isn't complete buy in yet with Keenum: let's see if he can perform well in the playoffs also.
I'm pretty much where you are Sticky...If Case has a good playoff run, makes plays, shows poise, growth and prowess as a qb, they will make every effort to re-sign him. 2-3 year deal. And if he continues to ascend, we have a SB favorite team in the NFC for a # of years.
And I hope our QB otf (of the future) is on the roster and named Sloter.
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
I'm pretty much where you are Sticky...If Case has a good playoff run, makes plays, shows poise and prowess as a qb, they will make every effort to re-sign him. 2-3 year deal. And if he continues to ascend, we have a SB favorite team in the NFC for a # of years.
And I hope our QB otf (of the future) is on the roster and named Sloter.
We as fans don't know what they have in Sloter yet because its been such a great year. No stories on him, no updates, no anything because the Vikings have been such a story. But the good thing is he's been on the active roster instead of practice squad, so he's getting some reps. Not many, but some. And he's interactive in practices much more being on the roster (not active in many games). My point is the Vikings know internally what they think they have in the guy and that will probably be evident in not only the Draft but how they move forward with the current QB situation. It'll be self evident to fans in how they conduct this offseason, one way or the other.
I think he's got the mindset to get better and improve. This isn't too big for him. He's got what you want physically at the position: 6'4"+, 222 lbs. Big arm. Very mobile and athletic. Leadership qualities. But he needs a lot more snaps from under center, raw. If he can sit and learn for a bit yet and compete to be a real #2 QB, that would be great. It would be the first step. But who knows? We just don't know enough. Heck, Minnesota might move on from him next season. But like I said, we'll know soon enough on what the org. thinks of him in the offseason.
I think a good comparison is Ryan Tannehill from the Dolphins; similar physical attributes (very similar) and backgrounds.
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
I'm pretty much where you are Sticky...If Case has a good playoff run, makes plays, shows poise, growth and prowess as a qb, they will make every effort to re-sign him. 2-3 year deal. And if he continues to ascend, we have a SB favorite team in the NFC for a # of years.
And I hope our QB otf (of the future) is on the roster and named Sloter.
My issue with this that several other teams will be trying to sign him also. Have we seen enough yet?
Do they think he is a flash in the pan or a wiley phenom Kenum?
I think they could regret not signing him early.
Quote: @Poiple said:
@ purplefaithful said:
I'm pretty much where you are Sticky...If Case has a good playoff run, makes plays, shows poise, growth and prowess as a qb, they will make every effort to re-sign him. 2-3 year deal. And if he continues to ascend, we have a SB favorite team in the NFC for a # of years.
And I hope our QB otf (of the future) is on the roster and named Sloter.
My issue with this that several other teams will be trying to sign him also. Have we seen enough yet?
Do they think he is a flash in the pan or a wiley phenom Kenum?
I think they could regret not signing him early.
Possibly, but I'll trust RS and Zimm on this one...I think they could put some kind of tag on him? And all of this talk from Maroonbells reminding me of Cunningham tells me to not pull the trigger too soon.
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
@ Poiple said:
@ purplefaithful said:
I'm pretty much where you are Sticky...If Case has a good playoff run, makes plays, shows poise, growth and prowess as a qb, they will make every effort to re-sign him. 2-3 year deal. And if he continues to ascend, we have a SB favorite team in the NFC for a # of years.
And I hope our QB otf (of the future) is on the roster and named Sloter.
My issue with this that several other teams will be trying to sign him also. Have we seen enough yet?
Do they think he is a flash in the pan or a wiley phenom Kenum?
I think they could regret not signing him early.
Possibly, but I'll trust RS and Zimm on this one...I think they could put some kind of tag on him? And all of this talk from Maroonbells reminding me of Cunningham tells me to not pull the trigger too soon.
I trust them also, same as with deciding who dresses. We are all just rubes guessing over here.
The Cunningham remarks dont really fit. One was out of football laying granite, while the other was a recent NCAA all time passing leader, just getting started.
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