Cleveland Browns will be okay if they have to start Case Keenum

Case Keenum can get it done for the Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns found a way to make headlines even during their bye week as Baker Mayfield was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list. To be clear he has not tested positive for the virus but he was in close contact with a staff member who did test positive.

If he continues to test negative then he should be able to return to practice on Wednesday and start on Sunday against the Houston Texans.

But if the Browns are unfortunate and Mayfield does test positive this week they will have to start veteran Case Keenum who has mostly been a career backup. He also has a history with head coach Kevin Stefanski when they had a magical run together with the Minnesota Vikings in 2017 when they made it to the NFC championship game.

Keenum started 14 games for the Vikings that season passing for 3,547 yards 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions completing more than 67 percent of his passes. The team won 11 of those 14 games as Keenum played mistake free football leading them to the NFC championship game.

He was then traded to the Washington Football Team before the start of the 2019 season where he started eight games and had a few big games including his career-high 380 yards in his first game. Injury and poor performance led to him being unseated by Dwayne Haskins who Washington thought was their quarterback of the future.

So Keenum moved on and signed a three-year $18 million contract with the Browns this offseason making him one of the highest paid back-up quaterbacks in the NFL. He has doesn’t have the big arm and doesn’t throw down the field well. But he is a quick decision-maker and may have had his best season in this type of offense.

All signs are pointing towards Baker Mayfield making the start Sunday but there is no need to panic if he doesn’t. Cleveland is better than the Texans and the offense will get some help as Nick Chubb and Wyatt Teller should return.