ESPN: What the NFL can learn from Keenum's success

[StickyBun]

Highly interesting article about Keenum and why he's succeeding in Minnesota:

Barnwell: What we can learn from Case Keenum's star turnThe $2 million free-agent signing has been one of the NFL's most efficient and effective quarterbacks, and he has the Vikings sitting at 9-2. Keenum's surprising season can teach us a lot about the football universe.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21533...d-2017-nfl

[Guest]

Good read Sticky!

Quote:Yet here we are in Week 12, and Keenum ranks second inTotal QBR and 10th in passer rating through 10 games and 330 pass attempts. If he isn't a good quarterback, he sure is doing a wicked impersonation of one.

[Guest]

The dude is ballin'. I'm buying what he is selling.

[Guest]

@StickyBun said:
The dude is ballin'. I'm buying what he is selling.

Me too...I'm not as football smart as many here, there are flaws in his game, otoh sometimes you gotta trust what your eyes are seeing. Kid is playing great for us. 

[Guest]

Will the Vikings re-sign Keenum?Perhaps most fascinating of all is what comes next. All three of the Vikings' quarterbacks are due to become unrestricted free agents after the season, and there's no clear favorite among the three as to who might come back for 2018. Bradford played well given the circumstances last season, and though his knee might give the Vikings pause in handing out a long-term deal, Minnesota might be amenable to a short-term deal. Bridgewater was an organizational favorite before his own knee injury and would likely come cheaply, given the missing years on his résumé. And given how Keenum has played, why wouldn't the Vikings consider giving him a raise and locking him in for the next year or two?
Most teams would love to have these sorts of problems and think the issue of infrastructure for the Vikings makes it less important for them to re-sign any of these guys. They don't need a ton out of their quarterback to win, and they've managed to succeed over most of the past three seasons with three guys who were either unwanted by most of the league or desperate acquisitions just before the season started. (Their one dismal stretch, the second half of 2016, came as the defense declined.)

I wouldn't say the Vikings can plug anybody in at quarterback and succeed, but as long as the coaching staff, the defense and the offensive line are here to stay, Minnesota might be better off opting for low-cost, high-accuracy options at quarterback and using the savings to re-sign future free agents such as Anthony Barr, Stefon Diggs and Danielle Hunter. If that means giving Keenum a raise to $7.5 million per season or signing Bridgewater to a team-friendly extension, that seems smart. If it means importing a veteran (and possible free agent) such as Alex Smith or Tyrod Taylor who might be willing to take less money in search of a ring, that could work too.
As for Keenum, he has certainly graduated from below-level backup money to the highest tier of backups, which should put him in the $6 million to $7 million per season range this offseason. What comes next will determine whether he goes any higher. The league decided a long time ago that Keenum was likely to fail as a pro, and he spent most of his time in the NFL confirming that belief. Now that he's succeeding, he'll have to prove the consensus wrong time and again before he gets his chance. Even if Keenum isn't this good the rest of the way, he should land on a cushion of life-changing money when he falls back to earth.

[Guest]

That was a very good read. Dilfer came to mind as I got to the section of the article about winning the Lombardi. It was interesting about the falling in love with the prototype and how many times that physical specimen doesn't translate into performance. I am happy for Case. He keeps proving the doubters wrong. Maybe it's a combination of coming into your prime and finding the right fit. But having all the talent around him is a bonus but Case is the one putting in the work and executing the plays. 

[Guest]

Sign him and Teddy... keep Sloter for development.  And, next summer, if one of them is the clear leader... trade the other.

[Guest]

@pumpf said:
Sign him and Teddy... keep Sloter for development.  And, next summer, if one of them is the clear leader... trade the other.

That's exactly what I had hoped for in another thread. I dont know how RS pulls that off though?

Still 5 regular season games left, and they are not easy (even @ Lamblow). Then there is Bradford too. 

More chapters to still unfold THIS SEASON in the short-term. 

[Guest]

i think the most important element is if the Vikings retain Shumur. i think he is the key to our QB play and success. 

[Guest]

@BStads said:
i think the most important element is if the Vikings retain Shumur. i think he is the key to our QB play and success. 

If we make a deep playoff run (heck... even if we don't at this point, the guy has been close to masterful), he is likely to be a hot commodity for open coaching gigs. I've got my fingers crossed that he's the rare coordinator that is comfortable being an OC, and that feels they've found a home. I completely agree that keeping him is critical. It's the other side of the ball, but look what happened to the Broncos defense after they let Wade walk (For purposes of pretending I'm making an amazing observation, let's just ignore the fact that their offense can't sustain a drive, and constantly hangs the D out to drive...).