Rams claim QB Case Keenum

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Prime Time

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From the PFT thread.........

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...case-keenum-off-waivers-from-texans/#comments

I still don’t understand why they released him, Keenum could ball
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How bad does it have to be in St Louis that they would even consider taking the Texans’ cast-offs…
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There’s some potential there both for the team and for the player. I’m not sure Houston gained anything but the Rams have a backup with a little experience now.
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I watch a lot of games. I saw the KC D take on RGIII last year, and Case Keenum was a far bigger threat. Fitzpatrick? please. he was fun!

Case Keenum can play. I think they did a poor job playing to his strengths late last year. nice pickup Rams
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keenum can’t even pass from under center and he was pretty mediocre in preseason against backups as well as every game besides the colts and chief game. i’d still rather have him over fitzgarbage though. should’ve dropped him instead.
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He’s instantly the best option the Rams have at QB.
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Noodle arm but resourceful. Dennis Dixon!
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Apparently the Rams believe that Keenum is a better QB than Mallet
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Case is the next Kurt Warner.
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Good luck to the kid. Had some flashes of potential, but too inconsistent. Hope he has a great career.
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Great job Rams and Jeff F. As a Texans fan I will congrats you and your organization. I will be watching Rams as my favorite now.
 

VilleDeal

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From the PFT thread.........

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...case-keenum-off-waivers-from-texans/#comments

I still don’t understand why they released him, Keenum could ball
----------------
How bad does it have to be in St Louis that they would even consider taking the Texans’ cast-offs…
---------------
There’s some potential there both for the team and for the player. I’m not sure Houston gained anything but the Rams have a backup with a little experience now.
---------------
I watch a lot of games. I saw the KC D take on RGIII last year, and Case Keenum was a far bigger threat. Fitzpatrick? please. he was fun!

Case Keenum can play. I think they did a poor job playing to his strengths late last year. nice pickup Rams
---------------
keenum can’t even pass from under center and he was pretty mediocre in preseason against backups as well as every game besides the colts and chief game. i’d still rather have him over fitzgarbage though. should’ve dropped him instead.
---------------
He’s instantly the best option the Rams have at QB.
---------------
Noodle arm but resourceful. Dennis Dixon!
--------------
Apparently the Rams believe that Keenum is a better QB than Mallet
----------------
Case is the next Kurt Warner.
----------------
Good luck to the kid. Had some flashes of potential, but too inconsistent. Hope he has a great career.
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Great job Rams and Jeff F. As a Texans fan I will congrats you and your organization. I will be watching Rams as my favorite now.
 

Big Willie

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Contrary to our recent history, there are QBs that play a whole season and I believe Hill can do that this year. He's experienced, gets rid of the ball quickly, and is not as slight of frame as SB (maybe he can get hit a few times without breaking). There is much ado about a backup QB who may never see the field. If Keenum does, that means Hill is ineffective or injured; neither of which is good for us and undoubtedly signals another wasted year. I hope Keenum never sees the field in 2014!
 

Akrasian

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Contrary to our recent history, there are QBs that play a whole season and I believe Hill can do that this year. He's experienced, gets rid of the ball quickly, and is not as slight of frame as SB (maybe he can get hit a few times without breaking). There is much ado about a backup QB who may never see the field. If Keenum does, that means Hill is ineffective or injured; neither of which is good for us and undoubtedly signals another wasted year. I hope Keenum never sees the field in 2014!

See, I hope that the Rams routinely build such big leads that they take to playing the backup - whichever they have active that week - in the 4th quarter so they can get experience and the coaches can see how they react in game situations. YMMV, of course. ;)
 

Dagonet

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LOL.. I have loved reading this long thread. I love and thank you guys for the entertainment. That's not a slam either. I've enjoyed reading all the opinions here whether I agree with them or not. It's been a great read while canning and cooking and I thank you all.

That said, I can't see any wrong with the signing at all. Not a bad move..
 

sugar land

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Obviously his face didn't fit. The guy has potential, and we all know that Fisher is good at realising players potential.
I would bet that Fisher has some friends in Houston who keep him up to date. He was OC for the Houston Oilers along with line coach Robert Young (deceased), and DC Buddy Ryan so he does know the sports world there.

Last year Keenum was thrust into the starters spot when QB Shaub set a record for pick-6 in a season. Soon after that the team quit trying. The O-line wouldn't pass block. The running backs were all out with injury so there was no running game and no backfield protection. That is the truth about why Keenum's stats dropped off. No one blocked the d-line and blitzes were not picked up by replacement backs. It was pretty ugly. Given a better team around him, Keenum may well develop. It will be interesting to see how things progress.
 

sugar land

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I'm looking to get some insight from some Texans fans on another board. These guys won't sugarcoat it. Lol.
I did reply just a while ago. Keenum never did get a chance this year. It was obvious the new coach was cleaning house on as many of the old coaches players as possible. He made all the returning QBs go away. Whatever Houston's QB outcome, the new coach will own it.

Keenum had no team around him at the end of last year. Injured running backs and an offensive line that quit doomed the young QB. I hope the Rams players have more heart.
 

Thordaddy

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I did reply just a while ago. Keenum never did get a chance this year. It was obvious the new coach was cleaning house on as many of the old coaches players as possible. He made all the returning QBs go away. Whatever Houston's QB outcome, the new coach will own it.

Keenum had no team around him at the end of last year. Injured running backs and an offensive line that quit doomed the young QB. I hope the Rams players have more heart.
Don't forget a sick head coach who got fired as soon as he was well possibly for benching him
 

fearsomefour

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I have no problem with this for several reasons.
1....gave up nothing
2....he is young if the Rams decide he can be developed
3....he has played some
I don't see him replacing Davis however. Davis knows the book and has put his time in.
 

yrba1

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Based on what I've heard, he's a timing QB who'll make mistakes if you disrupt it. Susceptible to the blitz but makes excellent throws when comfortable in the pocket. I hope Cignetti can develop the kid.

I was actually dead serious about getting Keenum in the 1st round back in 2010 (the same draft class Bradford was in)
 

RamBill

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Case Keenum joins Rams' quarterback carousel

• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_68d88336-4607-5877-beff-218102b04481.html

In effect, the Rams gave quarterback Case Keenum a chance to play 10½ months ago in Houston when they knocked starter Matt Schaub out of the game because of an ankle injury.

On Monday, the Rams gave him a chance to play in St. Louis by claiming him off waivers after the Texans released him a day earlier.

Keenum, the former University of Houston star, arrived in St. Louis on Monday night as the team’s No. 3 quarterback behind starter Shaun Hill and backup Austin Davis.

It will be a crowded quarterback meeting room because Rams sixth-round draft pick Garrett Gilbert was signed to the practice squad over the holiday weekend. That makes it four quarterbacks. But you get the feeling the Rams aren’t quite finished with their QB maneuvering.

“I’m really excited about getting a new chance, a fresh start with a great organization, great coaches, and great teammates,” Keenum said before boarding a plane for St. Louis at Houston’s Hobby Airport. “I’m looking forward to getting to work.”

Keenum spoke to Rams coach Jeff Fisher not long after being claimed Monday afternoon.

“He was very excited about having me get to town and get over and start working with the coordinator of their offense and their quarterback coach,” Keenum said. “He’s excited about their team, and I’m excited to do whatever I can to help that team be better.”

To make room for Keenum on the roster, the Rams placed tight end Justice Cunningham on the injured reserve list. Cunningham suffered a high ankle sprain in the preseason finale against Miami and is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks. The team will attempt to reach an injury settlement with Cunningham.

The Rams were heavy at tight end any way – with five – after the initial cut-down to 53 players Saturday.

Keenum, who is from Abilene, Texas, was a hugely-productive player in college for the Houston Cougars, ending his time there as the NCAA’s career leader in passing yards, touchdown passes, and completions.

Granted a sixth year of eligibility after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Game 3 of the previous season (against UCLA), Keenum threw an NCAA record nine TD passes against Rice in 2011.

To put that in perspective, during the entire 2011 season under coach Steve Spagnuolo, Rams quarterbacks threw nine TD passes.

Despite piling up all those numbers, Keenum went undrafted in 2012, signing with the Texans as a rookie free agent. His lack of size (6 feet, one-half inch, 205 pounds) and questionable arm strength were the most common knocks against him.

“I don’t think he really fits what the Rams do,” said a veteran scout Monday, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “Because to me, I look at Bradford – he’s a big-armed kid. This guy is not a big-armed kid. He does not have a cannon. He’s a small guy.

“Now, he’s brilliant. He is frighteningly smart. He’ll have their playbook down in two weeks. He gets rid of the ball very fast. But he has a below-average arm. I think he’s a very good NFL backup. He’s a better athlete than he gets credit for.”

Others feel that Keenum has a stronger arm than people think. He sees the field, is accurate, and has leadership qualities and a charisma to him.

“He plays like he has nothing to lose,” Texans wide receiver DeVier Posey told the Monday Morning Quarterback web site last season. “When he gets down on one knee in the huddle, you believe any play can work. He just has that Texas good old country boy swagger.”

Keenum was No. 3 on the depth chart in Houston when Schaub went down against the Rams on Oct. 13 in Reliant Stadium.

But Texans coach Gary Kubiak liked Keenum, who leapfrogged backup T.J. Yates into the starting lineup the following week against then unbeaten Kansas City.

The 2013 season was a train wreck for the Texans, but Keenum breathed life into the team in his first three starts, losses to Kansas City, Indianapolis, and Arizona by a combined seven points. Those three teams all finished with 10 or more wins.

Keenum, 26, threw for 822 yards and seven touchdowns in those three games, with no interceptions.

But it was tough sledding in Keenum’s final five starts – all losses – with two TD passes and six interceptions. He missed the final two games because of a thumb injury.

With a new head coach, Bill O’Brien, and a new offensive system this season, Keenum struggled in exhibition play, producing only three scoring drives – all field goals – in 12 possessions. Then, again, all of the Texans’ QBs struggled in varying degrees in the preseason.

But when the Texans traded for New England quarterback Ryan Mallet over the weekend, Keenum became expendable. Starter Ryan Fitzpatrick generally is considered a stopgap solution. But Mallett (6-6, 245) and fourth-round draft pick Tom Savage (6-4, 228) fit more of the stronger-armed, big frame Tom Brady prototype. O’Brien is a Bill Belichick disciple and former Patriots assistant.

So on Sunday, Keenum became the third of the three holdover QBs O’Brien inherited to be shown the door, joining Schaub (now in Oakland) and Yates (now in Atlanta).

“It’s definitely bittersweet right now,” Keenum said. “It’s been a weird 24 hours. The Texans, the McNairs — everybody there — it’s a first-class organization. I loved every minute I spent there. . . .It’s a tough league and a tough game.”

Robert McNair is the team owner; his son Cal, is the team’s vice chairman.
 

Limey

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I would guess that's a fair assumption, although I don't share your hopes.

Does he still not look strong enough, or are your concerns based on something else? Based on his college career, his awards, his smarts and his toughness playing injured, I was really happy when the Rams signed him, and not too concerned when he didn't feature last year, given that he was coming back from a serious injury that would have restricted his training. When I read the reports that he had been hitting the weight room hard, and had "transformed his body" I hoped he was going to push Barnes hard for backup to Wells. Getting hurt again isn't a good sign - is his durability one of his concerns or does he still look weak?
 

dieterbrock

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If Keenum would have played for Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M with all the talent Manziel had to work with, as opposed to the 2nd tier talent in Conf USA, skies the limit for what he "coulda" done

Dont sleep on this kid
 

sugar land

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This was going to be Keenum's first year with a healthy team around him, but the Texan's new coach threw out all of the previous year's QBs along with many players associated with the previous coach. It happens in the NFL. The good thing for the Rams is that Keenum worked very hard during the off-season and is stronger this year. He is smart, well-mannered, and takes the blame when he makes a mistake. He will never try to pass the buck onto another player. He married his school sweetheart and is devout at trying to help others. He is unlikely to ever be saying or doing something that would embarrass the team. He will bring a large Texas fan-base with him and increase out-of-state interest in the Rams.

That is a one-minute summary on who and what this young man is. The exciting thing will be seeing him work with better talent around him.
 

cowpoodie

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I watched the replay of texans preseason game against 49ERS. Keenum started the game and in the 1st quarter Keenum threw a pass down field wich traveled 58 yards. i believe thats a stronger arm than BULGER had,and i believe Warner could'nt throw it much farther, i dont believe arm strength is that big an issue for Keenum