Stefon Diggs and Case Keenum Reunite
Frenzied quarterback movement beset in the NFL amid the last two weeks as Russel Wilson trekked to Denver, Carson Wentz landed in Washington, and Deshaun Watson was traded to the Cleveland Browns for a king’s ransom.
The trickle-down effect from Watson-to-the-Browns was the exodus of QB2 Case Keenum from Cleveland on Saturday. Keenum was traded to the Buffalo Bills for a seventh-round pick.
Instead of Keenum, the Browns signed veteran passer Jacoby Brissett as QB2, probably because his skillset is more closely emulative of Watson’s.
In Buffalo, Keenum will reunite with wideout Stefon Diggs, who was traded by the Minnesota Vikings in March of 2020. Diggs was unhappy inside Mike Zimmer’s run-happy offense, eventually forcing his way out of Minnesota after months of strangely disgruntled tweets.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”976000″ player=”26279″ title=”WATCH%20Can%20the%20Green%20Bay%20Packers%20win%20the%20division” duration=”81″ description=”Paul Bretl joins Carolyn Manno to discuss all things Packers! Detailing Davante Adams being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, and what it means for the Packers.” uploaddate=”2022-03-19″ thumbnailurl=”undefined” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/975906/975906.m3u8″ width=”16″ height=”9″]
Of course, the Bills employ Josh Allen at quarterback, so Keenum will only see meaningful action with Diggs if Allen is injured. But the two did notably orchestrate this memory four years ago as Vikings teammates.
Two months after the most memorable moment in franchise history, Keenum signed with the Denver Broncos, beginning a path of QB2 roles after floundering in the AFC West as a starter. And Diggs would depart Minnesota about two years after Keenum.
The Bills are dangerously close to busting through the AFC to a Super Bowl. Their hopes were ended twice in 2020 and 2021 by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but Buffalo will continue to feel like it is a “season away” from the Promised Land. Like the Vikings, the Bills have lost four Super Bowls with no wins.
Keenum was likely signed because of his storied QB2 resume. Throughout his career, he performs optimally when the expectations are low — sort of like Nick Foles — but doesn’t thrive when he is announced as the QB1 to start a season. It’s rather weird.
In Buffalo, Keenum will be a proverbial “snap away” from replacing Allen if adversity hits — and reunite on the field alongside Diggs, with whom he created a timeless gridiron memory.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. His YouTube Channel, VikesNow, debuts in March 2022. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
Vikings Territory: Vikings Named a Landing Spot for Multiple Free Agents
You must be logged in to post a comment.