Cleveland Browns announce Case Keenum to start on Thursday night

The Cleveland Browns will now be without Baker Mayfield on Thursday night. Case Keenum will have to step up in a must-win game.

While the news isn’t shocking, the Cleveland Browns made it official on Wednesday morning that Case Keenum will start in place of Baker Mayfield on Thursday night.

After reaggravating his shoulder injury last week vs. the Cardinals, the pain was just too much for him to overcome.

What does this mean for the Browns? The offense will certainly be without their leader on offense in Mayfield, but Keenum has more than proven himself in his 10-year career. Remember, Keenum took Minnesota to the NFC Championship game in 2017 (With Kevin Stefanski as his offensive coordinator).

This is exactly why you pay a backup quarterback $6 million per year. So, if you need to put him in, you aren’t just taking a loss. I would rather have Keenum at 100 percent healthy than Mayfield at 50 percent healthy.

Don’t expect the offense to change a bit on Thursday. Keenum has been in this system for two years and has even more experience with Stefanski. He isn’t going to have near the mobility as Mayfield, but he can make all the same throws.

Neither Mayfield nor Keenum are guys that can line up in the shotgun and throw the ball 50 times and give you a chance to win. Keenum will need the running game, will focus on play-action, and allow the defense to close out the game.

With a short week, this decision makes total sense. Give Baker extra rest and see if he can be ready to go on Halloween vs. the Steelers.  Keenum has plenty to get you this win.