Both Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles hinted that some changes were coming at quarterback. They felt some experience was needed at the position to help young guys like Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent adjust to the pro level. That was the biggest criticism of the team last year. It was never understood why the Bears didn’t do this from the start. Thankfully, the problem has been resolved. According to multiple reports, the team reached an agreement on a one-year deal with 11-year veteran Case Keenum.
This is about as good of an addition as the Bears could make. Keenum has been around forever. He set passing records at the University of Houston in college before joining the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent. The few opportunities he got produced good results, eventually leading to a career that saw him go 30-36 as a starter with 15,175 passing yards, 79 touchdowns, 51 interceptions, and a respectable 84.1 passer rating. His greatest moment came in 2017 when he replaced an injured Sam Bradford and helped the Minnesota Vikings reach the NFC championship.
Caleb Williams can learn so much from Keenum.
The 37-year-old has had one of the most well-traveled careers in recent NFL history. He’s played for seven different organizations since 2013. In that time, he’s had to learn several different types of offenses. This likely gave him the ability to discern certain tricks of the trade. He had plenty of good teachers: Bill O’Brien, Jay Gruden, and Kevin Stefanski. Most importantly, Keenum has loads of experience working with young high draft choices. There was Baker Mayfield in Cleveland, Josh Allen in Buffalo, and the past two years with C.J. Stroud in Houston. All seemed to play their best football after spending time with Keenum. The guy is known for being an excellent locker room presence. If anybody can get Caleb Williams pointed in the right direction, it’s him.
Bears are now doing everything they can so that Caleb is neither a bust nor merely average. Keep up the good work.
I guess your views on this signing depends on whether you look at Keenum and see Nick Foles, or Josh McCown…..
If it is the former, we just signed trouble. If it’s the latter, we could have just made a very shrewd move….
So, perhaps the question should be – who does Case Keenum see when he looks in the mirror?
Solid move and even better than I expected. I’m a fan of Bagent as much as anybody but he doesn’t really complement Caleb in an efficient way on this roster right now.
Bagent has likely developed in the background as I think we’re feeling but I think he is a decent lower tier trade candidate for a team that might need him more than Chicago.
I’ve been a fan of Keenum a few years now. Good vet. Good backup. Great mentor if Caleb accepts it. Big year coming for Caleb in a complex scheme.
Self-deprecation: now how come I did not think of that ploy?
Case is just what a generational QB needed. Stroud benefitted by him. So now Caleb might be able to handle the infinite complexity of NFL football.