Denver Broncos: A new Case Keenum

The Denver Broncos quarterback has been more down than up in the first season with the team, but there is reason for optimism.

Case Keenum signed in the offseason to provide stability at quarterback for the Denver Broncos.

There was no guarantee Keenum would be the franchise guy in 2018. Rumors were abounding that the Broncos were interested in the top flight quarterbacks of the 2018 NFL Draft. Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold led the charge, but the pieces fell to select Bradley Chubb. So far in the 2018 season, Keenum has been underwhelming.

There is not a way to sugarcoat the play of Keenum in his first season with the Broncos. Keenum’s touchdown to interception ratio is nowhere near his time with the Minnesota Vikings. However, as is the case with life, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. This is not to say Keenum can’t turn on the lights the rest of the season. He most certainly is capable of flipping that switch. There are a few reasons to think Keenum will do it.

Keenum and offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave are not the best match. The Broncos quarterback is one of the most successful play-action quarterbacks in the NFL. Musgrave uses play-action less than the majority of play callers. That said, Musgrave and Keenum are turning up the heat more in the play-action realm. This has all started lately with a commitment to the running game.

Awareness in the pocket is an area Keenum needs to fix. Waiting until the last second to throw to an open receiver is smart on some levels, but ideally not the best overall scenario. With the new revolving door happening on the offensive line, the Broncos must get creative to avoid an endless amount of sacks. This, in turn, will benefit the confidence of Keenum during games. It’s been a slight improvement, but he’s been better of late. All Keenum needs is rhythm. Once the offense does it will be humming sweet music.

There is a difference in Keenum than quarterbacks that require rhythm. Keenum is a play-action rhythm quarterback. He needs the running game to be successful. If it is, the deep ball becomes a staple of the offense. Where Keenum is at his best is the rollouts and moving to the left or right. It’s been a slow process to see the merge of Keenum and Musgrave, but there has been a gradual improvement lately.

During his time with Minnesota, Keenum hit his quiet MVP stride around week eight. His touchdown to interception ratio reached 17/4. Obviously he is nowhere near this right now, but certainly appears from my eye Keenum is getting more comfortable as the season wears on. Time will tell if it meets the climax of his Minnesota Miracle days. Signs are slowly there for Keenum as the team gets set to square off against the Los Angeles Chargers after the bye.

One of the underrated reasons the Denver Broncos are struggling to maintain consistent offense stems from the loss of Jake Butt. Butt tore his ACL early in the season, but the presence of the tight end cannot be overstated. At one point of the regular season, five of Keenum’s nine interceptions came from throwing to a tight end.

Keenum needs to utilize the tight end (like the running game) to be successful. Jeff Heuerman is the replacement for Butt and just played his best game as a Bronco. Keenum targeted Heuerman 11 times with Heuerman catching 10 passes. This is another reason Keenum is starting to become comfortable on offense. The emergence of the tight end is a huge indicator.

Time will tell if Keenum continues the performance after the bye week, but appears he is heading in the right direction.