Case Keenum arrives as Browns backup

One of the many problems with the 2019 version of the Cleveland Browns was the lack of accountability for and by Baker Mayfield.
No matter how poorly he played, there was no one available as an alternative to Mayfield on the field and no one around to be a sounding board and mentor off the field to keep him grounded after a good game and give him tips on how to be a professional after a bad one.
Case Keenum could be the playing assistant that Mayfield needs to succeed or he could be the stopgap for the Browns should Mayfield continue to regress and need to be replaced and the three-year contract that Keenum signed for eighteen million could prove to be a bargain in either scenario for the Browns.

At 32 and his travels throughout the league with five teams considered, you would think that Keenum would be a pure veteran backup, but when you consider a few possibilities, it's not out of the question that Keenum could be playing for the Browns at times and under one of these scenarios might be the starter for 2021.
The Browns will be Keenum's fifth team in as many years (Rams, Vikings, Broncos, Redskins, and now Cleveland) and looking at his numbers throughout his career, they have been average- except for one season, Keenum's 2017 season with Minnesota.
Keenum led the Vikings to the NFC championship game, won eleven of fourteen starts, and threw twenty-two touchdowns and against only seven interceptions under Kevin Stefanski as his quarterbacks' coach.
Keenum's reward was to be allowed to leave as Minnesota signed away Kirk Cousins from Washington to be their starter and his stints in Denver and Washington saw Keenum handicapped with some weak teams.

The Browns now have some insurance against Baker Mayfield being a flash in the pan and a quality backup should Mayfield get injured.
Case Keenum doesn't own the best arm and his size isn't a prototype, but his skills and size are similar to Mayfield and should Keenum need to play for whatever reason, the switch won't be a huge difference for the Browns offense.
Keenum is also willing to embrace the role of guidance counselor for Mayfield, is known as a locker room leader, but yet not a player that will sulk because he isn't playing.

I've written before about my skepticism on Baker Mayfield as a franchise quarterback and the Browns mistake last season was allowing Mayfield far more comfort and control than a young quarterback should have.
Case Keenum is the type of quarterback that may not lift a team to a higher level, but Keenum can keep a team going as a bridge in the right situation.
I like this signing as whatever Keenum is to Mayfield as a backup, while I wouldn't be nearly as excited if Keenum was signed to come in as the immediate starter, his experience with Kevin Stefanski and with his mentality of team-first makes this an excellent signing.

I'm going to lump some of the other Browns newcomers in the next post.
I also have the remainder of the minor league fantasy draft, cleaning out the inbox, and some recent passings coming soon.