15 worst free agent signings in Denver Broncos franchise history
5. Case Keenum, QB (2018)
Just on the surface, this is going to seem super harsh. Case Keenum is a good guy and a solid player, but we're looking at these moves from a variety of angles that landed them on such a list like this. Keenum isn't being included on the list because he was so bad for the Broncos, but this move needs to be understood in its full context.
In the 2018 offseason, the Denver Broncos were in prime position to make a move at the quarterback position. It was year two of the Vance Joseph era. Everyone was already upset enough about the team not hiring Kyle Shanahan in 2017, but at least in 2018 they had a shot at a QB. The Broncos had cap space. They had a top-five draft pick.
Not only did they have the assets, but the Broncos also had the chance to coach the likes of Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen at the 2018 Senior Bowl. Denver's coaching staff got to work with those guys every single day. They had a presence at every Pro Day. Although he wasn't the head coach of the team, Gary Kubiak was heavily involved in the process.
After going through the entire gambit of options, the Broncos decided to sign Case Keenum in 2018 free agency following the Minneapolis miracle. They signed Keenum to a two-year deal worth $36 million and convinced themselves to pass on trying to move up for Sam Darnold or even take Josh Allen or Josh Rosen, who were on the board still when the Broncos were on the clock at pick no. 5 overall.
In hindsight, it's easy to criticize passing on those guys but when you consider where the team was at, it's incredibly hard to justify not taking some kind of a shot on a QB, even Lamar Jackson who was pick no. 32 overall in that draft.
The Broncos were rumored to be interested in Kirk Cousins as well that offseason, but Cousins signed with the Vikings on an unprecedented fully guaranteed deal.
Interestingly enough, it may have simply been familiarity with Keenum that caused the Broncos to make the move they did in 2018. Keenum was initially brought into the NFL by the Houston Texans when Gary Kubiak was still on staff there. Vance Joseph was on that staff as well.
At any rate, Keenum didn't play well enough to warrant the Broncos bringing him back in 2019. They ate some of his contract and traded him to Washington for whatever they could in 2019. Bad process, bad signing, bad judgment.