After agreeing to trade for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, the Denver Broncos have to figure out what to do with Case Keenum, who was the starting quarterback in 2018.
Keenum signed a two-year, $36 million contract with the Broncos last offseason. After acquiring Flacco, what does Denver plan to do with Keenum?
“My preference is to have him stay here,” Elway said at the NFL combine on Wednesday, according to The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala.
There’s a catch, though.
The Broncos will keep Keenum only if he restructures his contract. He is set to earn $18 million this year, and cutting him would result in a $10 million dead-money hit against the team’s salary cap.
So the best-case scenario for Denver would be keeping Keenum as a backup on a reduced salary. There’s no guarantee that Keenum will accept a restructured contract, though. So the QB’s options are to take less money, get cut or request a trade.
Elway also said at the combine that Keenum has not requested a trade but added that the team would grant him permission if the QB asked to be dealt. That would leave Keenum’s new team to figure out his contract, so it’s a feasible option for the Broncos.
In short, there’s a lot left to be determined for Keenum’s future. The dominoes may not begin to fall until March 13, when the trade for Flacco becomes official.
